Leona's Reward has edge over key rival in Bricker Memorial

True Cinder and Leona’s Reward met for the first time this year in the Dr. T.F. Classen Memorial Stakes. True Cinder bested her rival by 1 1/4 lengths, kicking off a six-race winning streak.

But a year is long, and the situation is very different as the two fillies meet for the fourth time this year in the $75,000 Bobbie Bricker Memorial Handicap on Saturday at Mahoning Valley. Leona’s Reward comes in having won the Catlaunch Stakes at Thistledown and the Ohio Debutante at Mahoning over True Cinder, who has dropped back-to-back races.

Leona’s Reward thus comes in as the 3-5 favorite for the Bricker Memorial, which she won by 4 1/4 lengths last year. The filly, who is bred, co-owned, and trained by Tim Hamm, drew post 5 under regular rider Pablo Morales as she looks for her fourth stakes win of the season. True Cinder, owned and trained by Michael Rone, picks up a new rider in Irwin Rosendo. They drew outside in post 7 and were installed at 5-2 on the morning line.

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Leona’s Reward has won five of six starts at the 1 1/16-mile distance of the Bricker Memorial. True Cinder has never won at the distance on dirt, but she owns a pair of stakes wins going the same distance on turf.

The field also includes Grizabella, twice stakes-placed behind True Cinder this year, and Hope’s Frog Song, whose multiple stakes placings this season include a third in the Classen Memorial. Blanconia was second in the First Lady Stakes at Mahoning Valley last out.

The Bricker Memorial is preceded on Saturday’s card by the $75,000 Joshua Radosevich Memorial for Ohio-accredited juveniles. Top contender Midnight Mikey won his maiden in the Loyalty Stakes at Belterra Park but has been well beaten in two outings since. He again faces Mobil Solution, who was third in the Loyalty.

Rosco P. Coltrane was fourth in the Best of Ohio Juvenile going 1 1/16 miles. He comes off a runner-up effort in an allowance at this six-furlong distance at Mahoning Valley.