Owendale, Long Range Toddy bring Triple Crown form to Ohio Derby

Situated at the start of the second season for the 3-year-old division, the Ohio Derby often attracts runners exiting the Triple Crown series – as was the case with recent winners Prospective (2012), Mr. Z (2015), Mo Tom (2016), and Irap (2017). That is again the case for this year’s renewal of the Grade 3, $500,000 race at Thistledown in North Randall, Ohio, which has drawn Owendale, most recently third in the Preakness Stakes, and Long Range Toddy, a Kentucky Derby starter.

Owendale is the 9-5 favorite on the morning line in the expected field of six starters for the 1 1/8-mile Ohio Derby, with regular rider Florent Geroux again teaming up with trainer Brad Cox. Owendale began this season winning an optional-claiming race at Fair Grounds before finishing eighth in the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes there. After a brief freshening, he returned two months later to win the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland by 1 3/4 lengths.

“I don’t really know about the Risen Star, except maybe we pressed on him a little,” Cox said. “He had two really good races and then wheeled right back to the Risen Star. Looking back, he was a little light. His weight wasn’t quite where we’d want him to be, and I think we were chasing that Derby dream. It didn’t work out, so we brought him back to Churchill, hit the reset button, and slowed down. I thought about the Blue Grass, but decided on the Lexington. That set him up well for a shot at the Preakness.”

Owendale finished a creditable third in the Preakness, rallying seven wide into the lane after sitting ninth with just under a half-mile remaining. He was beaten 1 1/4 lengths by victorious War of Will, and just a nose for second by Everfast. Owendale has worked three times at his Churchill base since then, most recently turning in a bullet five furlongs in 59.40 seconds on June 15.

Long Range Toddy, a multiple stakes winner as a juvenile, took the Oaklawn Park trail to the Triple Crown, finishing second in the Smarty Jones and third in the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes before winning a division of the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes, edging the previously unbeaten Improbable by a neck. But Long Range Toddy then finished sixth in the Arkansas Derby on a sloppy, sealed track.

Similar conditions prevailed three weeks later at the Kentucky Derby, where Long Range Toddy was bumped and forced out turning for home before retreating back to 17th. Jockey Jon Court – who retains the mount at Thistledown – was one of two to claim foul against Derby first-place finisher Maximum Security, who was disqualified to 17th, bumping Long Range Toddy up a spot.

Trainer Steve Asmussen attributed Long Range Toddy’s efforts in the Arkansas Derby and Kentucky Derby to track conditions.

“We know he’s better than that,” Asmussen said. “If we don’t see him at his best, then the circumstances are secondary. We’re hoping for a fast track.”

Rain was likely in Thursday’s forecast for North Randall, but sun was expected Friday. Race day is forecast as partially sunny, with a 20 percent chance of rain.

Global Campaign would have been among the favorites for the Ohio Derby off a victory in the Grade 3 Peter Pan Stakes over subsequent Belmont Stakes winner Sir Winston. However, he was expected to scratch as he continued to deal with nagging foot trouble.

The field is rounded out by unbeaten Parx Racing stakes winner Bethlehem Road, unbeaten Ohio-bred allowance winner Dare Day, Math Wizard, and the maiden Going for Gold.

The Ohio Derby goes as race 9 on a 10-race program that begins at 1:10 p.m. Eastern. It is immediately preceded on the card by the $75,000 George Lewis Memorial for Ohio-accredited runners and the $75,000 J. William Petro Memorial Handicap for Ohio-bred fillies and mares.