Thedayofthegrey should enjoy return to sprinting in Joshua Radosevich Memorial
Thedayofthegrey emerged as one of Ohio’s most promising juveniles of the season before faltering on the Best of Ohio fall program when trying two turns in his most recent outing. He will look to get back on track in his return to sprinting in the $75,000 Joshua Radosevich Memorial for Ohio-accredited 2-year-olds on Saturday at Mahoning Valley.
The Joshua Radosevich is race 6 on the eight-race card, and is followed in race 7 by the $75,000 Bobbie Bricker Memorial Handicap for statebred fillies and mares.
Thedayofthegrey, a Twinspired gelding trained by Robert Cline and owned by Cline and breeder Richard Wilkinson, won his debut, then finished third in the Hoover Stakes. He proceeded to score front-running victories in the Cleveland Kindergarten at Thistledown and the Loyalty Stakes at Belterra, both going six furlongs. The gelding stretched out to 1 1/16 miles for the Best of Ohio Juvenile on Oct. 30 at Mahoning Valley. He shot out to an early lead, dueled on the front end, and had nothing left for the final stages, fading to 11th.
Thedayofthegrey cuts back to six furlongs for the Radosevich Memorial. He has drawn the inside post in the field of eight and will have a chance to use his early speed under regular rider Sonny Leon. Keeping him company on the front end could be the filly Out for Fun, drawn in post 6 under Christian Pilares. The City Weekend filly, trained by Robert Gorham, is the only other entrant in this field who comes close to Thedayofthegrey in terms of stakes seasoning and has also shown an affinity for running on the lead. A 12-length maiden winner in her third start, Out for Fun was subsequently a winner of the Emerald Necklace in October at Thistledown and then a close second in the Glacial Princess last month at Mahoning Valley.
Relish the Ride was third to Thedayofthegrey in the Loyalty on Sept. 24 and makes his first start since then in the Radosevich.
The Bobbie Bricker Memorial Handicap has drawn a number of state stalwarts, including defending race winner Grizabella. The 7-year-old has pushed her career earnings past $500,000 this season and sports a victory in the Vivacious Handicap in July on turf at Belterra. However, she has been beaten by double-digit lengths in her three outings since that score.
Grizabella won the 2020 edition of the Bobbie Bricker over Mobil Lady and Edge of Night, with Diva Power finishing fifth. All four return Saturday. This marks Grizabella’s fifth straight appearance in this race; she was third in 2017, and second in both 2018 and 2019.
Diva Power, Star Rules, and Lexy Anna most recently swept the trifecta in the Ohio Debutante on Nov. 13 at Mahoning Valley, with Grizabella finishing sixth. Star Rules came back with a 4 3/4-length allowance win on Dec. 7 at Mahoning.