Musical Mischief, Misty Veil drop from Grade 1 company into Lady Jacqueline

Grade 1-placed Musical Mischief and Misty Veil, dropping directly out of Grade 1 company, are the top choices in the $250,000 Lady Jacqueline Stakes for open fillies and mares, one of four additional stakes on the Ohio Derby undercard Saturday at Thistledown.

Musical Mischief, third in the Grade 1 American Oaks in December in California, has continued to face solid company since emerging from a freshening this spring for Michael McCarthy, and her efforts have made her the 5-2 morning-line favorite. She was beaten a half-length by stakes-placed Magical Lute in a Keeneland allowance/optional-claiming race, then was second to multiple stakes winner Shotgun Hottie in the Allaire duPont Distaff at Pimlico.

Musical Mischief, who is drawn in post 5 in this field of 10, should be forwardly placed and has the talent to control the tempo.

Misty Veil, who has Ramon Vazquez in the irons for trainer Mike Maker, has shown the ability to tactically adjust as the pace dictates. The mare, second choice at 3-1, had a very good winter at Oaklawn Park, winning the Pippin Stakes, finishing third in the Grade 3 Bayakoa, and finishing second by a neck in the Grade 2 Azeri. That campaign earned her a try in Oaklawn’s signature event for the division, the Grade 1 Apple Blossom on April 13; she finished eighth and has had time off since that busy meet.

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Cleveland Gold Cup

Grade 3-placed Who Dey, the leading Ohio-bred 3-year-old, isn’t entered on Saturday at Thistledown, but he appears as a helpful gauge in the form line of several sophomores who get a chance to shine in the $75,000 Daniel Stearns Cleveland Gold Cup for statebreds.

Spellcast won his first two starts last year before finishing second to Who Dey in the Cleveland Kindergarten. When he returned to action this year, he lost his first two starts of the season to another stellar sophomore, Alwaysintomischief – an open winner who is unbeaten in his home state. Spellcast got back in the winner’s circle in his third start of the year, the Best of Ohio Green Carpet Stakes going 1 1/16 miles on the turf June 7. He moves back to dirt – which he is a stakes winner on – here, while still going a two-turn distance at 1 1/8 miles.

Spellcast is part of a four-horse entry for leading Ohio trainer Tim Hamm’s Blazing Meadows Farm and WinStar Farm. Another part of that entry, multiple stakes-winning juvenile Shadowy, picks up Luis Saez, who is in town to ride Ohio Derby favorite Catching Freedom. Shadowy was second to Who Dey in a maiden race; third behind him and stablemate Spellcast in the Kindergarten; and second to Who Dey in the Best of Ohio Juvenile.

Dial Direct was third in the Best of Ohio Juvenile and comes in off two allowance wins against older horses this year, including at a mile last time out. Scrimper, off the board in both the Kindergarten and Juvenile last year, also comes in off two allowance wins against older horses.

Defending winners top Lewis, Classen

The $75,000 George Lewis Memorial for older horses and the $75,000 Dr. T.F. Classen Memorial for fillies and mares, both restricted to Ohio-accredited runners, have both drawn their respective top two finishers from last year.

Romantic Cowboy won last year’s 1 1/16-mile Lewis by 3 1/2 lengths over Dr. Zarnett, but neither brings particularly strong recent form into the rematch. Romantic Cowboy has been seventh in each of four outings since and now makes his first start since November. Dr. Zarnett won last year’s Buckeye Native on turf, but has been well-beaten in two outings this year.

If someone else is to step up, the field also includes stakes winners First Song, Manga Man, and Moester.

In the 2023 Classen, Kichi Kitsu opened as much as a four-length lead in the stretch and then held off Near Perfect by a neck. Kichi Kitsu comes off a win with the same front-running style, but it was in a claiming race.

Meanwhile, Near Perfect has had consistent form against good company, placing in a pair of stakes at Mahoning Valley last fall and only missing the board twice in her last 16 starts. She comes in off a runner-up effort in an allowance to a next-out winner.

Near Perfect is part of a three-horse entry for Robert Gorham and Mast Thoroughbreds. The entry also includes Goodness Sakes, who has won consecutive allowance races.

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