HOY MO DONT NO WINS SECOND GOVERNORS CUP
2016 OHIO HORSE OF THE YEAR MO DONT NO BACK ON TRACK
WITH SECOND GOVERNOR’S BUCKEYE CUP WIN
Mo Dont No re-established himself atop the ranks of Ohio-bred stayers with a wire-to-wire performance and a repeat victory in the $75,000 Governor’s Buckeye Cup at JACK Thistledown on August 26. The authoritative winner looks to be on track for his second win in the $150,000 Best of Ohio Endurance at the distance at Belterra Park October 7.
Mo Dont No, a 4-year-old gelding by Uncle Mo out of Ohio Broodmare of the Year Lilah was bred by Beechwood Racing Stable and is undefeated at 1 1/4 miles. He took the 2016 edition of the Buckeye Cup by 3 1/4 lengths, and later won the Best of Ohio Endurance Stakes. With his fifth career stakes victory, the gelding has now won three straight races. He has been first or second in his last 13 starts for owner Loooch Racing Stables and trainer Jeffrey Radosevich, a streak dating to July 2016. Purchased at the Keeneland September Sale for $50,000, his latest win pushed his earnings to $537,455.
Bet down to 2-5 odds, Mo Dont No broke from the rail under Ricardo Feliciano and led Doctoriat – who was never more than a length behind for the first six furlongs. He began to shake clear around the far turn, bringing a two-length lead to the quarter pole. Eightthehardway moved up into second to give chase, but Mo Dont No spurted clear by five in upper stretch and was never seriously challenged from there. He hit the wire 1 1/2 lengths in front, stopping the clock in 2:06.22 for the classic distance. 2016 Ohio Accredited-bred male champion Eightthehardway, also second in last year’s edition of this race, was 3 3/4 lengths clear of Cake Pop, who nosed out Gone too Soon for third.
“Smart horses are faster horses, and he’s a very smart animal,” Radosevich said. “He doesn’t use himself up. In his last race, he hopped a little leaving the gate, but he didn’t try to rush up. He can be on the lead or come off the pace. It’s easy on the jock because he doesn’t have to fight him. He’s a pleasure to be around.”
TANGO RUN DANCES TO A FRONT RUNNING VICTORY IN THE KEVIN GOEMMER
TAH DAH STAKES
Tango Run remained undefeated and made it three in a row with the second stakes victory of her young career, scoring by an emphatic two lengths in the $75,000 Kevin Goemmer Tah Dah Stakes for Ohio-bred 2-year-old fillies at Belterra Park held August 27.
Tango Run was a 6 1/2-length debut winner for trainer William “Doug” Cowans, then followed up with a 2 3/4-length victory in the Miss Ohio Stakes last month, with both races taking place at JACK Thistledown. But despite being the most accomplished runner in the short field of five for the Tah Dah she was not favored. That distinction went to odds-on Missap, who was stepping up to stakes compitition off a 4 1/4-length debut win against open company at Belterra for trainer Kellyn Gorder who was hoping for a birthday present in the Tah Dah. Misshap’s jockey Dean Sarvis did have cause for celebration on the day as he recorded his 2,000th lifetime victory earlier on the card.
Tango Run, immediately asserted her class when the gates opened in the Tah Dah. Breaking from the rail under regular rider Rex Stokes III, she assumed command through an opening quarter of 22.74 seconds, and coasted through the half in 46.11 while stalked by Missap a length back in second. She was really never threatened through the stretch, pulling away to a two-length margin of victory while finishing the six furlongs in 1:10.33. The front-running win pushed her earnings to $109,500.
“This is the first time she’s gone wire to wire,” stated trainer Cowans after the race. “She had trouble coming away clean in her first two starts so we did work in the mornings standing in the gate and I believe she is getting more seasoned.” The $150,000 1 1/16 mile John Galbreath Memorial Stakes will be her next challenge on “Best of Ohio Day.” “We won’t have to do much concerning her fitness after this race, he said. “We’ll just get her to relax and get her geared down leading up to the race. We’ve had horses work in front of her in the past and she has run them down in the final 1/8th every time. I think she is very versatile.”
Missap a Beckett Team-bred and owned daughter of A.P.Warrior came into the race off a best of 36 bullet work at 4 furlongs at Keeneland. While no match for the winner, she was clearly second-best, finishing 4 1/4 lengths clear of Emmy’s Candy in third. It was another 6 1/4 lengths back to Circus Rings and Summit Point.
The 2-year-old is owned by Michael Foster who purchased the Run Away and Hide filly for $32,000 at the Fasig-Tipton October Sale as a yearling. Breeder Dr. Harold Fishman is the father of Lori Williams, who operates Fair Winds Farm with her husband Kim. They report that Thedoctorscat, dam of Tango Run gave birth to a filly by Fair Winds stallion Kettle Corn this season.
A surprise visitor made it in for the race – legendary trainer James E. Morgan, who trained Tah Dah to become an Ohio Horse of the Year.
