Ohio Derby has 10 entered

By D’Arcy Egan

Cleveland Plain Dealer

NORTH RANDALL

Pleasant Prince was tabbed a strong 6-5 early favorite to win Saturday’s $100,000 Ohio Derby at Thistledown. He is part of a 10-horse field that has some talent, and plenty of question marks.

It’s easy to pick Pleasant Prince from Kentucky’s Ramsey Farm — owned by Sarah and Ken Ramsey — off his one great race this season, a loss to Ice Box by a scant nose in the Florida Derby. Ice Box went on to finish a fast-closing second to Super Saver in the Kentucky Derby, while Pleasant Prince finished third in the Derby Trial at Churchill Downs.

Pleasant Prince still has only one career victory, and has been sidelined since a poor showing May 15 in The Preakness, finishing 11th. The chestnut son of Indy King seems to be back in great shape. In an impressive workout Saturday at Thistledown, he was clocked over five furlongs in 58 2/5 seconds. Alex Solis will ride him in the 1 1/16-mile Ohio Derby for trainer Wesley Ward.

Worldly, from the Jay Em Ess Stable, is the morning line second choice at 5-2. He is winless this year, but is showing signs he’s going to be tough to beat. He finished second — by a neck — to Colizeo in the Northern Dancer Stakes at Churchill Downs in his most recent start June 12.

He’s followed by Phyllis Newcomb’s Mykindacandy at 9-2, who is coming off a maiden-race victory and an allowance win at Churchill.

Completing the Ohio Derby field are Max Silverhammer, Broke by Noon, Slewzoom, Chocho Jr., Scottkeith’skitten, Capitol Appeal and Dixie Band.

Thistledown’s director of racing, William Couch, was happy with the size of the field, and the quality of the horses.

“Even with Pleasant Prince the overwhelming favorite, I feel it’s a competitive field from top to bottom,” Couch said.

“We’re delighted to have such a quality group of thoroughbreds, especially when you consider the Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga and the Haskell Invitation at Monmouth Park are being held the same weekend.”

An interesting opponent for Pleasant Prince is Scottkeith’skitten, a member of the Ramsey stable until claimed for just $7,500 on March 19. The Ramsey-bred sophomore has since raced four times, improving his performance to pick off a couple of seconds and a third.

Dixie Band is a young thoroughbred that showed some fire in 2009, and has been looking good of late. The horse is owned by Evelyn and Darrell Yates and trained by Wayne Catalano and is saddled with the No. 10 post in the Ohio Derby. Dixie Band won the Arlington-Washington Futurity as a 2-year-old — the only horse in the field with a stakes win — and celebrated the Fourth of July by winning an allowing racing by more than three lengths.