Sousaphone sharp on turf

Turf specialist Sousaphone will take on 11 other Ohio-bred fillies and mares in the $50,000 Vivacious Handicap over 1 1/16 miles of turf on Saturday at River Downs. Trained by Michelle Nehei, Sousaphone has been lightly raced this year, having won 2 of 3 races while racing solely on turf.

In her most recent start, June 18 at Churchill Downs, Sousaphone came from just off the pace to win an allowance race by a length at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. Sousaphone earned a lifetime-high Beyer Speed Figure of 90 in that race, nearly 10 points higher than any other turf entrant in the Vivacious. This will be the first attempt against Ohio-breds for the 4-year-old daughter of Stravinsky. Edgar Paucar gets the mount.

Mini Mom, winner of 3 of 4 turf starts at River Downs, comes off a 2 1/2-length allowance win over the River Downs turf course July 20. Mini Mom, the highweight in the field at 124 pounds, won three stakes at River Downs last season, the Tomboy and Horizon over the River Downs turf course and the off-the-turf Cincinnatian. She was second in the Vivacious last year as a 3-year-old. Trainer Tim Hamm has given the return mount to Cesar Camaque.

The 10th race on the card is an allowance prep for the Cradle. It is a $25,000 race for 2-year-olds going one mile on the turf. The first three finishers of the prep can supplement to the 1 1/16-mile Cradle Stakes for $3,000. The regular supplemental fee for the $200,000 Cradle is $12,000.

Captain Bry heads a field of nine in the prep. Trained by Bryan Baker, Captain Bry won his maiden by by 5 3/4 lengths on July 6 going five furlongs over a yielding turf course at Colonial Downs. In his last out July 26, Captain Bry won the 5 1/2-furlong $60,000 Chenery by a length at Colonial, making him the only stakes winner in the prep field.

Appalachian Trail, trained by Hamm, comes off a maiden win at Presque Isle Downs on July 12. The race was the fastest of the meet for 2-year-olds.

Night Action comes into the prep off a maiden win at Ellis Park on July 12, winning a one-mile turf race by 1 3/4 lengths for trainer Mike Maker.