Ryvit rallies from off the pace to upset Steel Valley Sprint

Ryvit got the best of familiar foe and fellow graded stakes winner Damon’s Mound on Monday at Mahoning Valley, overhauling his rival in the stretch en route to a 2 1/4-length victory.

The Steel Valley Sprint, one of the richest races in Ohio, was one of five stakes on the card at Mahoning Valley, in Austintown.

Ryvit ($25.40) won five straight races earlier this year for Steve Asmussen, including the Bachelor at Oaklawn Park, the Grade 3 Chick Lang at Pimlico, and the Maxfield at Ellis Park – in which Damon’s Mound was fourth. But more recently, he had finished fifth in a pair of stakes at Charles Town and Parx, both won by Damon’s Mound. That resulted in the Damon’s Mound being sent away as the favorite, while Ryvit was a longshot, despite his back class.

Ryvit, with the trainer’s son Keith Asmussen in the irons, showed he was back to his best form by overcoming a stumbling start that left him seventh of the 10 3-year-olds after the opening quarter.

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Damon’s Mound was away alertly and narrowly led the pressuring Super Chow by a head through an opening quarter of 22.44 seconds and a half-mile in 45.26.

Ryvit had worked his way to fourth after the half, and circled the field with his bid. Up front, Damon’s Mound had grimly worked to a half-length lead over Super Chow. But neither could withstand Ryvit, who opened up in the final sixteenth.

The time for the six furlongs over a fast track was 1:10.65.

Damon’s Mound was second by four lengths over Super Chow, who faded in the final stages but held off Halmstad by a head for third.

Cheryl White Memorial

In the $200,000 Cheryl White Memorial, the sister race to the Steel Valley, Jersey Pearl appreciated getting some class relief and powered past White Chocolate for a one-length victory.

This was the first career stakes win for Jersey Pearl ($5.20), who had Francisco Arrieta in the irons for Darrin Miller. The filly spent the summer at Saratoga, where she finished fifth in the Grade 1 Test and second in the Grade 2 Prioress.

Jersey Pearl finished the six furlongs in 1:11.41.

The Cheryl White Memorial, named for the pioneering Black female jockey, was moved from the spring portion of the Mahoning Valley meet and had its purse boosted in order to create a sister event to the Steel Valley.

In other stakes action on the card:

* Moody Woman ($24.20) rallied past favored My Destiny in the stretch for an upset win in the $100,000 Hollywood Gaming Mahoning Distaff, for open fillies and mares.

Moody Woman and Carlos Lopez edged the favorite by a half-length while finishing six furlongs in 1:11.96.

Moody Woman, who is trained by Marilyn McMullen, hinted at class earlier this year when third in the Grade 3 Barbara Fritchie at Laurel Park.

* Ohio-bred champion Back to Ohio ($3.40) maintained her stellar record with a victory in the $75,000 First Lady Stakes for statebred fillies and mares.

Back to Ohio bobbled slightly at the start, but quickly recovered to press the pace. She took over in the stretch and was confidently handled by Jareth Loveberry for a one-length victory over Lady Lottie. She completed six furlongs in 1:11.76.

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Back to Ohio has won eight of nine career starts with one second-place finish for trainer Larry Rivelli. She now has six stakes wins.

* Rather than race Back to Ohio, Lionistic ($3.20) took on the boys in the companion race, the $75,000 Cardinal Stakes, and was a front-running 3 3/4-length winner of the day’s other statebred event.

Lionistic and Luis Rivera led home Excitement while stopping the clock in 1:12. This was the third straight win for the filly, trained by Jeff Radosevich. She had previously won a claiming race and then an allowance at Mahoning Valley.

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