River Downs: 11 turf debuts

All 11 Ohio-bred 3-year-old fillies in Sunday's Cincinnatian Stakes at River Downs will be making their turf debut. The Cincinnatian carries a purse of $50,000 and will be contested at 1 1/16 miles.

Despite the absence of any turf form, handicapping the Cincinnatian is made easier by the fact that six of the entrants are still maidens, and only a couple of those have an outside chance for a minor placing.

The probable favorite in the Cincinnatian is Special Appeal, a winner of two races, including the Glacial Princess Stakes at Beulah Park last December. Though winless in four starts this year, she has placed twice in allowance company, most recently in an open one-other-than.

The field's other stakes winner, Left Lane Lorrain, looks like the main threat to Special Appeal. Winner of the Tougaloo at Thistledown in April, Left Lane Lorrain was unplaced in the Tomboy and Annie Oakley Stakes in her next two starts. Her 34-length defeat in the Annie Oakley was probably due to a bleeding episode. She will run with Lasix for the first time in the Cincinnatian.

Other potential contenders include Mystic's Magic and Toy Balloon. Mystic's Magic was stakes placed at 2 and has finished third in both of her starts this year. Toy Balloon has won twice in seven starts and own the field's highest turf Tomlinson rating.