Mo Dont No notches second straight Governor's Cup win

Mo Dont No re-established himself atop the ranks of Ohio-bred stayers with a wire-to-wire performance and a repeat victory in the $75,000 Governor’s Buckeye Cup on Saturday at Thistledown.

Mo Dont No ($2.80), a 4-year-old gelding by Uncle Mo, is unbeaten at 1 1/4 miles. He took the 2016 edition of the Buckeye Cup by 3 1/4 lengths, and later won the Best of Ohio Endurance Stakes to lock up honors as the state’s horse of the year. With his fifth career stakes victory, the gelding has now won three straight races. He has been first or second in his last 13 starts for owner Loooch Racing Stables and trainer Jeffrey Radosevich, a streak dating to July 2016.

Mo Dont No broke from the rail under Ricardo Feliciano and led Doctoriat - who was never more than a length behind - through modest opening splits of 24.84, 49.20, and 1:14.06. He began to shake clear around the far turn, bringing a two-length lead to the quarter pole. Eightthehardway moved up into second to give chase, but Mo Dont No spurted clear by five in upper stretch and was never seriously challenged from there. He hit the wire 1 1/2 lengths in front, stopping the clock in 2:06.22 for the classic distance.

“Smart horses are faster horses, and he’s a very smart animal,” Radosevich said. “He doesn’t use himself up. In his last race, he hopped a little leaving the gate, but he didn’t try to rush up. He can be on the lead or come off the pace. It’s easy on the jock because he doesn’t have to fight him. He’s a pleasure to be around.”

Eightthehardway, also second in last year's edition of this race, was 3 3/4 lengths clear of Cake Pop, who nosed out Gone too Soon for third.