Thistledown: Third time a charm?

NORTH RANDALL, Ohio - Crypto's Twinjet and Kind of Fun will meet for the third time in Saturday's $40,000 Ohio Debutante Handicap. Perhaps this time the order of finish will be decided on the racetrack and not in the stewards' stand.

Crypto's Twinjet, highweighted at 123 pounds, was placed second after winning the nine-furlong Queen City Oaks at River Downs by a neck in her last start. Kind of Fun was placed first by the stewards.

Two starts back, Crypto's Twinjet finished second in the Annie Oakley Stakes but was placed first after the jockey of Kind of Fun, the fourth-place finisher, lodged a claim of foul against the winner.

Crypto's Twinjet, a daughter of Cryptoclearance, has a 5-4-0 record from 10 starts and earnings of $152,740. Trainer Luis Palacios pumped a bullet six-furlong work of 1:13.40 into her on Aug. 21, which should help her to shorten up to six furlongs from the Queen City Oaks distance. Hector Rosario Jr. is the rider.

Kind of Fun is an accomplished sprinter and will enjoy this shorter distance. Mike Rowland will ride for trainer M. D. Owens at 122 pounds.

Other strong contenders are Asinaway, Come Hither, and Lucy Glen.