River Downs: Pyrite Personal back on favorite turf course for Gendleman

Pyrite Personal will try top remain unbeaten over the River Downs turf course when he faces a full field of Ohio-bred older horses in the $50,000 Sydney Gendleman Memorial on Saturday.

It will be the second out after a layoff for the 8-year-old Pyrite Personal, who finished third at Presque Isle Downs, beaten only three-quarters of a length in an optional claiming event May 26. It will be the fourth start of the year for the Miguel Feliciano-trained Pyrite Personal, with his lone win this year coming on the turf at Tampa Bay Downs on Jan. 7 at the same 1 1/16-mile distance as the Gendleman.

Pyrite Personal is 2 for 2 over the River Downs turf course, having won the Green Carpet prep and Green Carpet Handicap in 2007. Fernando De La Cruz will ride for the first time.

Thats a Heckofacat will be looking for his first win over the turf after a third in the Babst/Palacios in his last out May 5 at Beulah Park. The 5-year-old Thats a Heckofacat won the Best of Ohio Endurance last season and has a pair of bullet works recently over the River Downs track. Trained by Doug Cowans, Thats a Heckofacat will be ridden by Irwin Rosendo for the first time.

Fourteen were drawn for the Gendleman, but only 12 will run, based on earnings from 2011-2012.