True Cinder, Eightthehardway deliver as heavy favorites in restricted stakes
Odds-on favorites True Cinder and Eightthehardway delivered as expected in a pair of $75,000 stakes for Ohio-accredited horses Saturday at Mahoning Valley Race Course.
In the six-furlong Glacial Princess for 2-year-old fillies, True Cinder ($2.10) led comfortably throughout the race and coasted home five lengths in front. Jockey Ricardo Feliciano didn’t need to ask True Cinder, a daughter of Alcindor trained by Penny Rone for owner Michael Rone, to waste any energy in deep stretch after she opened up by seven lengths through five furlongs in 1:00.71. She completed the distance in 1:15 flat for her second straight win by a wide margin.
“We won as easy as possible," Feliciano said. "I never had to ask her and she was just galloping the entire way.”
Roses for Sharon, a first-time starter who was the second choice at 10-1, finished second by a length. Princess Brooke, a 50-1 longshot, beat Grizzabella by a neck for third.
In the 1 1/8-mile Ruff/Kirchberg Memorial Handicap, Eightthehardway ($3), leading by just a head over 19-1 outsider Geppetto at the eighth pole, drew clear under left-handed urging from jockey Luis Gonzalez to win by 1 3/4 lengths. The winning time was 1:54.72.
Geppetto, winless in 13 starts since winning the Ruff/Kirchberg Handicap by a head last fall, finished 10 3/4 lengths clear of Mixed Colors.
A 4-year-old son of Patriots’ Reward trained by Richard Vickers for Paul Groves, Eightthehardway is now 4 for 14 this year and 7 for 29 lifetime with earnings of $250,468.