Despite fierce competition for 3-year-olds this weekend, Thistledown director of racing Bill Couch is pleased with how Saturday's 76th running of the Grade 3, $100,000 Ohio Derby has come up.
"It is probably the most competitive Ohio Derby since Stellar Brush beat Ecton Park by a nose in a field of 13 in 1999," he said. "When you take into consideration that it runs on the same weekend as the Haskell Invitational and Jim Dandy, I am very satisfied with this 10-horse field."
Thistledown linemaker Pat Lynch has installed Pleasant Prince as the 6-5 favorite in the 1 1/16-mile Ohio Derby, but Pleasant Prince is expected to receive strong competition at the betting windows from Worldly and Dixie Band.
Pleasant Prince's last five starts have been in graded stakes. He was unplaced in the Preakness, but was third in the Derby Trial and a very sharp second in the Florida Derby when beaten nose by Kentucky Derby runner-up Ice Box.
Trainer Wesley Ward shipped him to
Thistledown last Thursday and on Saturday he worked a strong five furlongs in 58.40 seconds. Alex Solis will come in to ride.
Worldly, an A.P. Indy colt, pressed the pace before dropping a neck decision in the Grade 3
Northern Dancer Stakes at
Churchill Downs in his last trip to the post on June 12. Top
Thistledown rider Luis Antonio Gonzalez will handle the Paul McGee trainee.
Dixie Band was impressive in his last start at
Churchill Downs on July 4, when he rallied from last at the top of the stretch in an eight-horse field to win by 3 1/2 lengths over a field of $100,000 optional claimers going seven furlongs. As a 2-year-old, he won the Arlington-Washington Futurity and
Spectacular Bid at
Arlington Park. Shane Sellers will ride for trainer Wayne Catalano.
Under the allowance conditions of the race, Dixie Band will be the starting highweight at 120. All of the other starters will carry 118.
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