Owendale Finds Room to Score in Ohio Derby
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Photo: JJ Zamaiko Photography
Owendale wins the Ohio Derby at Thistledown
Rupp Racing's Owendale went off as the 3-5 favorite in the $500,000 Ohio Derby (G3) June 22 at Thistledown, but the Into Mischief colt was stuck behind a wall of horses in the second turn after racing in last.
As soon as a hole opened, jockey Florent Geroux asked Owendale to accelerate up the rail before dueling with Math Wizard. Owendale edged ahead by half a length and earned his second graded stakes score, his first since the April 13 Stonestreet Lexington Stakes (G3) at Keeneland.
The Ohio Derby was Owendale's first start since he ran third in the May 18 Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course.
"It worked out good," Geroux said. "There was a lot of pace to run at today, and I just sat back like he likes to do. I was able to squeeze by from the inside and get some room, and he got the job done. He's a horse who likes to sit back and make one run."
Ohio-bred Dare Day broke from the outside stall Saturday but used speed early to grab the lead, while Bethlehem Road took up second on the outside ahead of the maiden Going for Gold. Rebel Stakes (G2) winner Long Range Toddy settled in fourth ahead of Math Wizard, and Owendale took up the rear.
Dare Day set opening fractions of :22.66, :47.62, and 1:12.80, slowing down at each interval of the 1 1/8-mile event. As the field turned for home, Math Wizard grabbed the lead and jockey Edgard Zayas had him primed for a clean run down the stretch. Owendale was in need of running room, and when a gap became available, Geroux asked him to step on the gas.
Owendale split horses and drew even with Math Wizard on the inside. The two pulled away in the stretch before Owendale got the better of his competition. The final time was 1:50.88 on a fast track.
Long Range Toddy managed third, 9 1/4 lengths behind Math Wizard. The others were even more spread out as they crossed the wire. Bethlehem Road was fourth, followed by Dare Day and Going for Gold.
Peter Pan Stakes (G3) winner Global Campaign was scratched June 19 due to lingering issues from a quarter crack sustained during the Xpressbet Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) in early March.
The Ohio Derby was Math Wizard's first stakes placing after running fourth in both the April 6 Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G2) and May 4 Oaklawn Invitational Stakes.
"He did a great run, and he had a beautiful trip," Zayas said. "At the three-eighths pole, I was able to make some room for myself. He kicked on in the stretch. It was a great race from him. The other horse was the best horse in the race."
Jockey Jon Court made no excuses for Long Range Toddy.
"I just wanted to sit right off that speed, let them do what they're supposed to do, and overtake them, which I was able to do," Court said. "But I wasn't able to open up eight lengths on them. He was just third-best today."
Bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, Owendale is out of the unraced Bernardini mare Aspen Light. He was purchased for $200,000 by John Wentworth from the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment to the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He improved his record to 4-1-2 from 10 starts and increased his earnings to $668,725.
Aspen Light has produced four winners from five starters. She last foaled a Kantharos colt in 2018.