My Pardner Cal faces improving duo in Radosevich
My Pardner Cal, who used his speed to dominate restricted stakes rivals the last time he sprinted, faces challenges from a pair of impressive last-out maiden winners in the $75,000 Joshua Radosevich Memorial Stakes for Ohio-accredited 2-year-olds at Mahoning Valley Race Course.
The six-furlong Radosevich, named in honor of the 16-year-old apprentice who was killed in a riding accident at Beulah Park in 2005, is the Saturday co-feature with the $75,000 Bobbie Bricker Memorial Handicap for Ohio-accredited fillies and mares. Deniro’s Saint will be heavily favored in the 1 1/16-mile Bricker against just four rivals after easily beating similar competition as the 3-5 favorite a month ago in the Ohio Debutante.
My Pardner Cal cleared his maiden condition in the six-furlong Loyalty by 3 3/4 lengths in September at Belterra Park and then just missed in a three-horse photo when he stretched out to 1 1/16 miles for the Ohio Juvenile at ThistleDown in mid-October.
His two toughest opponents in a field of 10 look like Magnum Mills and Bold Johnny, both of whom romped by 4 3/4 lengths against Ohio-bred maiden special weight company. Magnum Mills was seventh in the Loyalty in his career debut and has steadily improved in four subsequent starts, crushing 11 opponents Nov. 25. Bold Johnny was second to My Pardner Cal while making his career debut in the Loyalty. He has been off since easily defeating nine Ohio-bred maidens in early October.
KEY CONTENDERS
Josh Radosevich Memorial, Race 5
My Pardner Cal (Last 3 Beyers: 42-42-42)
◗ Can he finally move forward after running the same Beyer Speed Figure three times in a row? He may have to in order to beat Magnum Mills and Bold Johnny.
Bold Johnny (Beyers: 56-33)
◗ He looked good winning his maiden, but the horses he beat went 0 for 6 next time out with a top Beyer of 29.
◗ Trainer Tom Drury is 2 for 4 with 2-year-olds returning following a break of 61-180 days, but all four starters were turf runners.
Magnum Mills (Last 3 Beyers: 51-45-28)
◗ After flashing speed and stopping in his first four starts, he finally was able to last going 5 1/2 furlongs.
◗ Trainer Bob Gorham is 3 for 14 (21 percent) with 2-year-old last-out maiden winners back within 30 days in a stakes, but he’s 0 for 4 with Ohio-breds.
Bobbie Bricker Memorial, Race 3
Deniro’s Saint (Last 3 Beyers: 45-51-48)
◗ Her Beyer Figure declined but she still easily defeated Ohio-accredited females in the Ohio Debutante. Can’t knock that performance, but she’s hard to support at 1-2 on the morning line.
Startin Something (Last 3 Beyers: 40-40-34)
◗ This 7-year-old has been third or better in 39 of 53 starts, but she has lost 25 straight since her last win in May 2013. Won this race in 2012 as the 1-5 favorite and was second in the last two runnings, missing by a nose a year ago.
Sugar Marie (Last 3 Beyers: 39-10-40)
◗ She was third in the Ohio Debutante, only a neck behind Startin Something. Could move forward making the second start of her form cycle.