Thistledown: Raise the Reward holds off Catlaunch to win Michael Rowland Memorial

NORTH RANDALL, Ohio - Raise the Reward displayed a great deal of determination to hold Catlaunch safe and capture the $50,000 Michael F. Rowland Memorial Handicap here on Saturday.

Raise the Reward hopped a bit at the start of the six-furlong race, recovered quickly to settle just off the pace while between horses, went up to engage Catlaunch on the middle of the turn, then battled with that one until deep stretch, eventually prevailing by a length. It was 1 3/4 lengths farther back to Best Air, who finished third in the 12-horse field of accredited Ohio 3-year-olds and up.

Owned by Michael J. Annechino, trained by Jeff Radosevich and ridden by the trainer's nephew Jacob Radosevich, Raise the Reward got the six furlongs in 1:10.44 and returned $11.20.