Pay the Man back against fillies

Pay the Man was unsuccessful trying to beat the boys last out in the Cleveland Gold Cup, but she should fare better against her own gender when she faces nine other Ohio-bred 3-year-old fillies in the $100,000 Queen City Oaks Saturday at River Downs.

After starting the season with a win in the Angora, Pay the Man tried the turf in the Tomboy in her next start, but appeared to dislike it when she finished fifth. She rebounded to win an allowance race at Thistledown as her rider pleased, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 85, the highest of any starter in the Queen City Oaks.

Pay the Man then finished second in the Gold Cup, at the same 1 1/8-mile distance as the Queen City, behind her stablemate Pyrite Personal.

Pay the Man signaled her readiness for the Queen City with a bullet work at Thistledown on July 15, going a half-mile in 47.20 seconds, which was the best of 16 works at the distance that day. The Miguel Feliciano trainee will be ridden by Ricardo Feliciano.

Cryptohio has won 4 of 5 this year and will also be well backed. A Doug Cowans-trained daughter of Cryptoclearance, she won those four races by a combined 42 1/2 lengths, with her only bad outing coming in the Tomboy, her only stakes appearance. Rodney Prescott retains the mount.

Juvenile champion Mini Mom has won her last three starts, including the Tomboy and the Cincinnatian. Her come-from-behind style will suit her well in a speed-loaded field. Regular rider Cesar Camaque will ride for trainer Tim Hamm, who has four of the 10 starters in the race.