Miz Keeta makes successful switch to turf in Cincinnatian

Miz Keeta happily handled the variables she was faced with to score a convincing 2 3/4-length victory in the $75,000 Cincinnatian Stakes for Ohio-accredited 3-year-olds on the turf to kick off Friday's program at Belterra Park.

Like many in this field, Miz Keeta ($11.20), a daughter of promising young Ohio stallion National Flag trained by Robert Gorham for Mast Thoroughbreds, had never raced on turf or beyond a sprint distance. A maiden special weight winner as a juvenile, she won twice from four starts this season prior to her stakes debut, taking an allowance in March at Mahoning Valley and then a claiming race last time out at Thistledown – both at six furlongs on dirt.

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Miz Keeta used front-running tactics for both her wins this year, and in the Cincinnatian, she broke with her ears pricked and was among the first names called by the wire the first time. But the filly rated kindly for Fernando Salazar Becerra, settling in the second flight as a pumped-up Lipstick N Lashes, breaking from the outside, took the field through a smart opening quarter of 23.47 seconds before continuing to lead unchallenged through the half in 47.54.

The field began to bunch up exiting the backstretch and around the far turn, with Miz Keeta still traveling comfortably and clear on the outside. When the field straightened away, Miz Keeta was set down and responded with a willing burst to get the jump on the closers, and was never seriously threatened to the line.

The final time for the 1 1/16 miles on a well-baked turf course was 1:42.98.

Brief Encounter came on in tandem with the wide Green Lady, with those two finishing in a dead heat for second.

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