Two 4-year-olds look to threaten in Classen Memorial

The older mares Startin Something and Derby Day Storm have combined to take the last three runnings of the Dr. T.F. Classen Memorial Stakes for Ohio-bred fillies and mares at ThistleDown. It might be time to pass the torch to a youngster.

Circle Can Run and Kelly’s Pride, both gearing up for their 4-year-old debuts, could be poised to dethrone the 8-year-old Derby Day Storm and the 7-year-old Startin Something in Saturday’s running of the $75,000 restricted stakes at six furlongs.

As a 3-year-old last season, Circle Can Run won the Ohio Debutante and missed by a neck in the Bobbie Bricker Memorial Handicap, both at 1 1/16 miles, but she also was an eight-length winner in an allowance sprint and second in the six-furlong First Lady.

Kelly’s Pride closed out her 3-year-old campaign by running in five consecutive routes, winning a match race in the Cincinnatian by nearly 28 lengths. She’s also an effective sprinter, winning 3 of 5 starts.

Derby Day Storm upset last year’s Classen at 12-1, her only victory in 11 starts at ThistleDown.

Startin Something has lost 18 straight races since winning the Classen for the second time in May 2013. She was third last year as the 3-5 favorite.

Dr. T.F. Classen Memorial (race 8)

Key contenders

Circle Can Run (Last 3 Beyers: 50-60-N/A)

* All four of her victories have come locally, including an eight-length romp in the slop in a second-level allowance last July. She runs far better on wet tracks (2 for 3) than when it’s dry and fast (2 for 15), and there’s no rain in the forecast this weekend.

Kelly’s Pride (Last 3 Beyers: 48-34-41)

* The last time she sprinted, Kelly’s Pride cruised by 10 1/2 lengths last May at Belterra Park. Her trainer, Larry Smith, is 5 for 12 (42 percent) with horses returning from a break of more than 180 days in a sprint.

Startin Something (Last 3 Beyers: 50-56-N/A)

* She’s a 12-time winner, including the 2012 and 2013 runnings of this stakes, but appears to have lost a step or two and has been racing exclusively in routes since last July.

Derby Day Storm (Last 3 Beyers: N/A-11-46)

* Hunch players will like that she’s running on Kentucky Derby Day. In addition to winning this race a year ago, she was second in 2011 and fourth in 2012.