Top three from last year's Ruff/Kirchberg Memorial meet again

Mobil Solution, Garrett, and Pat’s Karma swept the top three placings in the 2020 edition of the Ruff/Kirchberg Memorial Handicap at Mahoning Valley. The three reunite for Saturday’s edition of the $75,000 race for Ohio-accredited 3-year-olds and up going a mile and 70 yards.

Statebred champion Mobil Solution won both the 2019 and 2020 editions of this race. Trained by Jeffrey Skerret, Mobil Solution won last year’s Ruff/Kirchberg by two lengths. It remains the most recent of his nine stakes victories.

This year, Mobil Solution has finished third in the Michael Rowland Memorial Handicap at Thistledown; was third in the Sydney Gendelman Stakes at Belterra; finished second in the George Lewis Memorial Stakes at Thistledown to Authentic Cowtown, whom he faces again Saturday; and, most recently, was second in the Catlaunch Stakes at Thistledown.

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Mobil Solution’s affinity for this distance is perhaps his best selling point as he bids for a three-peat in the Ruff/Kirchberg. He sports a career mark of 16-6-6-2 on dirt at a mile and 70 yards to 1 1/16 miles.

Garrett, trained and co-owned by David Wolochuk, didn’t run after the 2020 Ruff/Kirchberg until this past September. He started his campaign with a runner-up effort in an allowance sprint, then finished sixth in the 1 1/16-mile Catlaunch, the only time he has finished out of the top three in eight career starts. He most recently won an allowance sprint at Mahoning Valley over Ohio Eagle, a next-out winner. Manga Man, another Ruff/Kirchberg entrant, was third.

Pat’s Karma, trained by Jeff Radosevich, is winless in 10 outings since the 2020 Ruff/Kirchberg. His best effort in six stakes during that span was a fourth, beaten 4 3/4 lengths, in the Catlaunch in September.

The field for the Ruff/Kirchberg also includes stakes winners Big Truck and Sammy Da Bull; Firsthand Justice, who was third in the Catlaunch; and You’re My Boy Blue.

Glacial Princess Stakes

The $75,000 Glacial Princess Stakes for Ohio-accredited 2-year-old fillies also will be run Saturday at Mahoning Valley. Out for Fun tries to stretch her win streak to three in the six-furlong sprint.

Out for Fun was a 12-length maiden winner in August at Thistledown in her third start, beating Bossy Lady and Goodness Sakes, both of whom she faces again Saturday. Out for Fun, who is trained by Robert Gorham, then won the Emerald Necklace Stakes in October at Thistledown by three-quarters of a length in a front-running performance.

Bossy Lady finished third in the Emerald Necklace. Runlikejackieo and Goodness Sakes were fourth and fifth in that race and return in the Glacial Princess.

Kenzielu is facing softer competition and turning back to a sprint after finishing 10th in the 1 1/16-mile John W. Galbreath Memorial Stakes on the Best of Ohio program on Oct. 30.