Leona's Reward tries to pick up where she left off in Dr. T.F. Classen Memorial

Despite making her first start of the 2018 racing season on Saturday in the $75,000 Dr. T.F. Classen Memorial Stakes at Thistledown, Leona’s Reward appears to come in with all the momentum.

The 5-year-old Parents’ Reward mare headlines a field of five Ohio-accredited fillies and mares going six furlongs for the track’s first stakes race of the season, having won four of her last five starts.

Leona's Reward finished her previous campaign with wins in the Ohio Debutante Stakes in November and the Bobbie Bricker Memorial Handicap in December, both at Mahoning Valley. A versatile runner in both distance and style, she racked up her six wins in 2017 as a front-runner, pressing the pace, and sitting as far as three lengths back.

The 75 Beyer Speed Figure Leona’s Reward earned for her Bobbie Bricker win is the highest of any horse in Saturday's field since January 2017.

Tim Hamm trains Leona’s Reward for his own Blazing Meadows Farm and Michael Friedman. Regular rider Pablo Morales has the mount.

Leona’s Reward finished second in last year’s Classen behind True Cinder, who returns to defend her title.

The 2017 Classen came in the middle of a six-race winning streak for the 4-year-old Alcindor filly, who then dropped three straight to Leona’s Reward to finish out the season. True Cinder also makes her 2018 debut on Saturday, most recently finishing second to Leona’s Reward by 14 lengths in the Bobbie Bricker. She will be a likely challenger for the lead.

Kevin Radke will have the mount aboard True Cinder for the first time since the filly’s debut in July 2016, when they finished fourth. She is owned and trained by Michael Rone.

Also entered on Saturday is Blanconia, whose solid 2017 campaign ended on a sour note in last year’s Bobbie Bricker when she finished fourth by 33 ¼ lengths. Before that, the 4-year-old Vaquero filly had finished second or better in her past seven efforts, including a runner-up finish in the First Lady Stakes in November at Mahoning Valley

Typically a front-runner, Blanconia finished fourth in last year’s Classen, unable to keep up with eventual top-two finishers True Cinder and Leona’s Reward.

Luis Colon has the riding assignment aboard Blanconia for the first time since an allowance at Mahoning Valley last April, when they finished third together. The filly runs for owner Michael Annechino and trainer Jeffrey Radosevich.