Wide-open Ruff/Kirchberg Memorial draws Ohio's heavy hitters

Between them, Mobil Solution and Big Truck have won the past three editions of the $75,000 Ruff/Kirchberg Memorial Handicap for Ohio-accredited older runners. The Ohio-bred champions face off in Saturday’s renewal of the race at Mahoning Valley as part of a 12-horse field that includes several other familiar faces.

Mobil Solution will be making the 50th start of his decorated career Saturday and is likely to push his earnings past $750,000, coming in with a bankroll of $748,842. With 10 career stakes wins, he has been honored as the 2018 champion Ohio-bred 3-year-old male, 2020 champion Ohio-bred handicap horse, and 2018, 2019, and 2020 champion Ohio-accredited male.

Angel Diaz will be in the irons for trainer Jeffrey Skerrett.

Mobil Solution was second in the Ruff/Kirchberg Memorial in 2018 before winning the 2019 and 2020 editions of the race. He was sixth last year behind Big Truck, who is back Saturday.

The most recent of Mobil Solution’s career stakes victories came in June when he won the George Lewis Memorial Stakes by a neck over Relish the Ride, with Big Truck in third. Most recently, he was sixth in the Catlaunch Stakes in September, won by Relish the Ride.

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Multiple stakes winner Big Truck won the Ruff/Kirchberg last year by a neck over Firsthand Justice, who also returns for Saturday’s renewal. The Ruff/Kirchberg was the highlight of a consistent campaign for Big Truck, who put together a record of 12-4-5-1, including two other stakes placings, for trainer Larry Smith. He was honored as the champion Ohio-accredited male of 2021.

This year, Big Truck has one allowance win from six starts. He was most recently fifth in the Catlaunch.

Guillermo Rodriguez has the call Saturday.

Relish the Ride was multiple stakes-placed as a juvenile last season for trainer Jeff Radosevich, and this year has broken through against older horses. After finishing second to Mobil Solution in the George Lewis, and a close third, beaten just two necks, in the Buckeye Native, he won the Catlaunch by five lengths over Ruff/Kirchberg entrant Authentic Cowtown.

In addition to Authentic Cowtown, Big Truck, Mobil Solution, and Relish the Ride, the field for the Ruff/Kirchberg includes stakes winners Manga Man and Pat’s Karma.

◗ The Ruff/Kirchberg shares the card with the $75,000 Glacial Princess Stakes for Ohio-accredited 2-year-old fillies. Driven for Success is looking for her second consecutive stakes win for Radosevich, having won the Emerald Necklace Stakes in October by 1 1/2 lengths. Regular rider Luis Rivera, aboard for that win, retains the mount Saturday.

Emerald Necklace runner-up Express Fashion and third-place Near Perfect will square off with Driven for Success again in the Glacial Princess.

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