Unfamiliar distance for all in Hoover

Five of the seven Ohio-bred 2-year-olds in the $50,000 Hoover Stakes at River Downs won their last start, making for a wide-open race. The Hoover was originally carded for last Sunday, but a violent storm came through the area and knocked out power, forcing the cancellation of the card after the first race.

The fact that none of the entrants has run the six-furlong distance of the Hoover also complicates matters.

Trainer Tim Hamm sends out two, Cold Trial and Gold Rush Casey. Cold Trial was disqualified and placed third for drifting in after finishing first in his career debut at Mountaineer Race Track. In his local debut against open maidens, Cold Trial led from start to finish and earned a Beyer of 65, 10 points better than any of the other Hoover entrants.

Gold Rush Casey won his last out impressively, drawing off to beat seven Ohio-breds by 4 3/4 lengths.

Mighty Big Man, trained by Bill Napier, and Oriain, trained by Ivan Vazquez, both won at first asking and will be ridden by the meet's winningest jockeys, Edgar Paucar and Rodney Prescott.