Send Me On gets first stakes win in Cleveland Gold Cup

Send Me On reeled in favored Diamond Dust in the lane to win the $75,000 Daniel Stearns Cleveland Gold Cup for Ohio-bred 3-year-olds on Saturday at Thistledown, affirming his status as an up-and-coming distance specialist.

Send Me On ($14.60), a Hold Me Back gelding who races for Robert and Marion Gorham, has now won four of nine career starts. The 1 1/8-mile Cleveland Gold Cup was his first stakes victory. He had finished third behind Diamond Dust in last fall's Juvenile Stakes on the Best of Ohio showcase program, and finished second in the Green Carpet Stakes on turf, in which Diamond Dust lost his rider while leading late, last time out. Both those races were at 1 1/16 miles.

A keen Diamond Dust sat off the hip of Pat's Karma through an opening half of 48.66 seconds before assuming command and beginning to draw off around the far turn. He took a two-length lead into the stretch. But meanwhile, Send Me On, who had been fourth around the far turn under Gerardo Corrales, had passed tiring rivals to advance into second. He reeled in Diamond Dust with a strong kick to win by 3 1/2 lengths going away. It was another three lengths back to Green Carpet winner Manga Man in third.

The final time for the nine furlongs on a track rated fast was 1:54.40.

"In a turf race in his last start, he got into trouble and I thought it cost him that race, so I was paying more attention to the traffic pattern than the pace," trainer Robert Gorham said. "It’s a hot day and it’s a long way to go, and it seemed to be an advantage to settle and make a big run. The jockey gave us a perfect trip."