River Downs: Startin Something tries boys in Horizon Stakes

The 3-year-old filly Startin Something takes on three Ohio-accredited males and one other female in the $50,000 Horizon at River Downs on Saturday. Startin Something will try to remain unbeaten on the River Downs grass, having won the $50,000 Cincinnatian – the female version of the Horizon on June 25 – going the same 1 1/16 miles.

In her most recent out July 16, Startin Something finished second in the $75,000 Queen City Oaks against her own gender going 1 1/8 miles on the main track. Last season, she won 4 of 8 events, all in stakes company. Jockey Cesar Camaque retains the mount.

Johnny Slots has improved greatly with the addition of Lasix for trainer Kathy Lowry and looks to be the main threat to Startin Something. Since adding Lasix two starts ago, the son of Mercer Mill has finished second, beaten a length, in a second-level statebred allowance event against older horses and then won a statebred allowance event in his last, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 52, his highest lifetime figure.

Albin Jimnez retains the mount.

Accredited-breds are the more restrictive of the two Ohio-bred classes, because both the sire and dam must be registered in Ohio. Registered Ohio-breds must only have been foaled in Ohio.

A rule change this season reduced the number of entrants needed in an Ohio-bred stakes to five, instead of the six betting interests required previously. In previous years, if fewer than six were entered, the stakes would be run as an exhibition and the purse reduced to $17,500.