Mobil Solution proves best in Michael F. Rowland Memorial

Mobil Solution put away a stubborn Midnight Mikey in the lane to win the $75,000 Michael F. Rowland Memorial Handicap for Ohio-accredited sprinters on Saturday at Thistledown.

Mobil Solution ($11.60) sat third in the early going with Luis Rivera in the irons for trainer Jeff Radosevich. Meanwhile, favored Midnight Mikey led Buster's Boy by a head through opening splits of 21.82 seconds for the quarter-mile and 45.08 for the half. Mobil Solution swept up three wide around the final bend to challenge and poked a head in front of Midnight Mikey coming into the stretch as Buster's Boy faded. The top two battled it out to the wire, with Mobil Solution prevailing by a half-length. It was another 5 3/4 lengths back to Direct Deceit in third, followed by Eightthehardway, Buster's Boy, and Funnel Cake.

The final time for six furlongs was 1:11.02.

Mobil Solution pushed his career record to 5-5-3 from 16 starts with earnings of $274,020 with his third stakes win. The Mobil gelding won the 2017 Joshua Radosevich Memorial Stakes as a juvenile, and last year won the Horizon Stakes and the Catlaunch Stakes. He owns four other stakes placings.