Old warrior Mobil Solution seeks third Catlaunch victory
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The Catlaunch Stakes has been a regular stop on the schedule of veteran campaigner Mobil Solution. The gelding, who is in the midst of another stakes-winning campaign at age 7, makes his fifth straight appearance in the $75,000 stakes for Ohio-accredited runners on Thursday at Thistledown, and is looking for his third win in the race.
Mobil Solution won the Catlaunch in 2018 and 2020, and was second in 2019 and 2021. Overall, the gelding, who is approaching three-quarters of a million in earnings, has won 10 stakes and finished on the board in another 13.
Along the way, he has been voted Ohio’s champion 3-year-old male of 2018, champion Ohio-accredited male of 2019, and champion handicap horse in 2020.
This year, Mobil Solution finished third in the Michael F. Rowland Memorial Handicap in May at Thistledown - his first start off a winter break of more than five months - before winning the George Lewis Memorial Stakes here in June. He has been unplaced in his two most recent starts.
Mobil Solution, who is trained by Jeffrey Skerrett, will be making his 49th career start in the Catlaunch. Malcolm Franklin has the mount in the 1 1/16-mile race.
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The duo will start from the outside post in the field of 10, which could be advantageous, allowing them to work out Mobil Solution's preferred stalking trip without getting caught in traffic.
Many in this field prefer to race in that same second flight, and the pace could be moderate. Lukewarm speed could be provided by Pat's Karma and Speedy Mobile, both of whom have most recently been running in claiming company.
The 3-year-old Relish the Ride, who is putting together a fine season this year for Jeff Radosevich, is likely to be stalking the pace along with Mobil Solution. Relish the Ride has not missed the board this season while still seeking his first stakes victory. He was second in the Lewis Memorial to Mobil Solution before finishing third in the Buckeye Native Stakes and second, beaten less than a length, in the Horizon Stakes. He then dropped back to allowance company for a win, and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 74.