Thistledown: Eyes Super Freaky enters Governor's Buckeye Cup on a roll

The rapidly improving Ohio-bred 3-year-old Eyes Super Freaky heads a field of 13 statebreds entered for Friday’s $50,000 Governor’s Buckeye Cup, which will be contested at 1 1/4 miles.

Eyes Super Freaky was a convincing winner of his last two starts. He set all the pace and widened to an eventual 9 3/4-length victory while in hand against older optional claimers going a mile and 70 yards Aug. 8. On July 6, the Gary King-trained son of Silver Wagon closed from just off a fast pace to take the Cleveland Gold Cup by 5 1/2 lengths. He has a record of 3-2-2 from 10 lifetime starts and has been third or better in all three of his stakes starts.

Eyes Super Freaky has the ability to either set the pace or close from just off it. He won the Cleveland Gold Cup at 1 1/8 miles and should be able to get the distance of Friday’s race. Eyes Super Freaky has drawn the outside post, but the Governor’s Buckeye Cup starts in the chute at the top of the stretch and the long run to the first turn should give jockey Luis Gonzalez plenty of time to find a good position.

Eyes Super Freaky is one of three 3-year-olds in the field. The others are Freds Aly and Uncle Virgil.

Thats a Heckofacat finished third in this race last year and followed up with a win in the 1 1/4-mile Best of Ohio Endurance, beating millionaire Catlaunch. Trained by William Cowans, he has a record of 1-0-2 record from three starts at this distance. Deshawn Parker will ride.

Only Boy returns from a win in the 1 1/8-mile George Lewis Memorial. He has hit the board in all four of his stakes starts this year. Jareth Loveberry rides for trainer Larry Rivelli.