Needmore Flattery rolls to third straight win in Pay the Man
The anticipated rematch between 3-year-old filly Bold Cait and two-time Ohio-bred Horse of the Year Needmore Flattery did not materialize when Bold Cait was an early scratch from Saturday’s $75,000 Pay the Man Stakes at ThistleDown.
That left the 4-year-old Needmore Flattery the heavy favorite among nine Ohio-bred fillies and mares, and she rolled to her third straight victory. Under Luis Colon, Needmore Flattery ($4.80) stuck her head in front of 36-1 outsider Floral Sky at the eighth pole and drew clear under a hand ride to score by 4 3/4 lengths. She won for the 14th time in 24 career starts, completing 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.22. The $45,000 share of the purse raised Needmore Flattery’s bankroll to $523,370 for trainer Tim Hamm and owners Bruce Ryan and Blazing Meadows Farm.
Floral Sky, no better than fourth in five starts since winning last fall’s six-furlong Scarlet and Gray Handicap, led by as much as 2 1/2 lengths through six furlongs in 1:13.82. She easily held on second, 2 1/2 lengths in front of 5-2 second choice Pyrite Blues.