The Thursday feature at Thistledown, the $75,000 Greg Veit Scarlet and Gray Stakes for Ohio-bred fillies and mares sprinting six furlongs on the dirt, has drawn a field of five. But two of those five are statebred champion Back to Ohio, again a stakes winner this season, and Generous Lover, who was a smash in her home state this summer. That makes this, despite the short field, a potential key race in the campaign for this year’s statebred championships. Back to Ohio has long been a force in this state for trainer Larry Rivelli. A flawless campaign in 2022 – with a win by disqualification in the Jim Morgan Memorial Tah Dah Stakes, and victories outright in the Best of Ohio Miss Ohio Stakes, Presque Isle Debutante Stakes, and Best of Ohio John W. Galbreath Stakes – made her the season’s champion Ohio-bred 2-year-old filly. Last year, she won the Scarlet and Gray and the First Lady Stakes en route to honors as the outstanding statebred 3-year-old filly and female sprinter. This year, she finished second in an allowance race off a seven-month layoff. She then got back to her winning ways with an allowance score and her latest stakes win in the Michael G. Mackey Memorial Angenora Stakes, with a career-high 90 Beyer Speed Figure. Both were at Thistledown, and at this six-furlong distance. She brings in a career record of 11 for 13 overall, and has never been worse than second. :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. While Back to Ohio has long been a presence in this state, Generous Lover has spent a good portion of her career campaigning against open company in Kentucky, Louisiana, and Arkansas. Her first start in Ohio for Joe Sharp resulted in a 4 3/4-length victory in the Vivacious Stakes going 1 1/16 miles on Belterra Park’s turf. She followed up with a 12 1/4-length romp in the Pay the Man Stakes going nine furlongs on Thistledown’s dirt. Most recently, she was third back against open company in a 1 1/2-mile allowance/optional-claiming race at Kentucky Downs. Although she has been running around two turns recently, Generous Lover won a claiming race at six furlongs at Churchill Downs earlier this year, one of her multiple wins on dirt. Back to Ohio, with regular rider Jareth Loveberry in the irons, and Generous Lover, with Gaddiel Martinez taking the mount, have similar running styles. Both prefer to sit just off the pace, but can take control as the circumstances dictate. Their target here is likely to be Midnight Wonder, who has drawn the rail. She has won three straight allowance races in front-running fashion. Sweet Unique, most recently fourth in the Angenora, and Wortherweightngold, a last-out claiming race winner, complete the field. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.