Mo Dont No leads Sydney Gendelman Memorial Handicap field

A large field of 13, led by two-time reigning Ohio-bred horse of the year Mo Dont No, has been entered for the $75,000 Sydney Gendelman Memorial Handicap on the Belterra Park turf Saturday.

Mo Dont No, who carries high weight of 123 pounds, finished second in the Gendelman Memorial last year in his only turf start and only try at this 1 1/16-mile distance. Most recently the winner of an optional-claiming event May 16 at Thistledown in his second start of the year, he owns seven stakes victories, including two consecutive editions of the Best of Ohio Endurance Stakes on the state’s showcase program.

Mo Dont No, who is trained by Jeff Radosevich, will have to contend with the outside post under regular rider Ricardo Feliciano.

Among Mo Dont No’s opponents is Altissimo, who has won back-to-back races, including the Edward Babst/Albert Palacios Memorial Handicap at Belterra last time out. Also in the Gendelman is four-time reigning Ohio-bred champion sprinter Rivers Run Deep, who was second, six lengths behind Altissimo in the Babst/Palacios. He and Altissimo both carry 120 pounds.

Rivers Run Deep, who was nosed out in his bid for a four-peat in the Best of Ohio Sprint last fall, won an optional-claiming race on the turf against open company last year at Churchill Downs. However, he is stretching beyond six furlongs for the first time since finishing third in the 2015 Gendelman Memorial.