Owendale Victorious in Ohio Derby

NORTH RANDALL, OH – Rupp Racing’s Owendale made good on the support that made him the favorite, splitting horses in the stretch and fighting past slowing foes to win Saturday’s $500,000 Ohio Derby (G3) at JACK Thistledown Racino.

Breaking from post 2 under Florent Geroux as the 3/5 bettors’ choice, Owendale took back to the rear and along the inside while Dare Day set the opening pace through fractions of :22.66, :47.62, and 1:12.80. Commencing his rally in the far turn, Owendale tipped out into the two-path to get around a fading Dare Day, then shot back inside and cut the corner.

Though Math Wizard fought back gamely in the stretch, Owendale was too powerful to be stopped. The Brad Cox trainee crossed the wire under a vigorous hand ride with a 1/2-length advantage in a final time of 1:50.88 for the 1 1/8-mile event over the fast main track.

“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.”

The rest of the field as strung out far behind the top pair. Long Range Toddy was third, 9 1/4 lengths back, while Bethlehem Road was another 13 3/4 lengths behind him. The Ron Paolucci-owned pair of Dare Day and Going for Gold completed the order of finish.

Global Campaign was announced as a scratch earlier this week after it was discovered that he had a quarter crack.

Owendale’s win was his second in a graded stakes event, having taken the Lexington Stakes (G3) at Keeneland two races back on April 13. The 3-year-old son of Into Mischief, who was most recently third in the Preakness Stakes (G1), improved his record to 10-4-1-2 with $668,725 earned.

Owendale returned $3.40 to win, $2.20 to place, and $2.10 to show. Math Wizard brought back $4 to place and $2.20 to show, while Long Range Toddy paid $2.10 to show.