Grade 3 Ohio Derby | Thistledown | Race 12 | June 21


1. Brereton's Baytown (30/1) Jockey: Marshall Mendez Trainer: Paul McEntee


Brereton's Baytown enters as a huge longshot, having faced elite competition in the (G2) Rebel Stakes, (G1) Arkansas Derby, and (G3) Peter Pan Stakes without success and no real excuse in any of those races. He was 188/1 in the Rebel Stakes. This 3-year colt by Upstart has struggled against top-tier opposition, managing just two wins from 13 career starts with no place or show finishes. He's up against it from a class and speed standpoint.


2. Chunk of Gold (7/2) Jockey: Jareth Loveberry Trainer: Ethan West


This son of Preservationist has compiled an impressive record of one win and three runner-up finishes from five starts. His campaign began with a maiden victory at Turfway Park before finishing second in both the (G2) Risen Star Stakes and (G2) Louisiana Derby. In the Kentucky Derby, he finished ninth from post 17 under challenging conditions, which was not a disgrace given the circumstances. You can draw a line through that Derby past performance. Chunk of Gold excels when running late and should benefit from cutting back to 9 furlongs. Strong win contender in this spot.


3. Capo Luca (10/1) Jockey: Luis Gonzalez Trainer: Kim Pool


Capo Luca brings valuable local knowledge to the race, having won three consecutive races at Thistledown over a one-mile distance in allowance company. While these victories were against less challenging competition than he will face in the Ohio Derby, his familiarity with the track surface may be beneficial. He's 3-for-3 on this track but is coming off an 11-point new top Equibase Speed Figure. This will be his fourth race in 45 days (8th of 2025), and he will now race without Lasix. A significant bounce is expected following that new top figure run on June 11.


4. McAfee (3/1) Jockey: John Velazquez Trainer: Rick Dutrow Jr.


McAfee is an intriguing contender in the field, being a half-brother to the 2024 Horse of the Year, Thorpedo Anna. This son of Cloud Computing showed significant improvement when fitted with blinkers in the (G3) Peter Pan Stakes, where he finished second to Hill Road by ¾ of a length. McAfee has posted similar speed figures (97 & 99) in back-to-back races, which is indicative of a new top figure in this race. He has a solid pedigree for 9-furlong dirt races, and this will be his third consecutive race at today’s distance. McAfee’s connections have done an excellent job of spacing out his races every 1 to 2 months. He should be closer to the pace today. Top Choice.


5. Extradition (20/1) Jockey: Rock Landeros Trainer: Jason DeCosta


Extradition brings local experience with a win and third-place finish from two starts at Thistledown. His most recent victory came in an allowance race in the slop, winning by five lengths at one mile while posting a slow speed figure. He was defeated by Capo Luca on May 27, finishing third and beaten six lengths while posting his third consecutive declining speed figure. I don’t believe this horse has much of a chance to finish in the top three positions.


6. Clever Again (9/5) Jockey: Jose Ortiz Trainer: Steve Asmussen


Clever Again remains a top contender despite a poor run in the (G1) Preakness Stakes, where he faced substantial traffic issues. This son of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah showed great promise earlier in his campaign, winning the Hot Springs Stakes by four lengths and earning a 108 Equibase Speed Figure, the highest in this field. Historically, the Ohio Derby has seen success from horses exiting the Triple Crown races. There have been two sharp drills after the Preakness, indicating he's primed for a big race. The One to Beat.


7. Bohemian Style (30/1) Jockey: Israel Rodriguez Trainer: Nestor Rivera


Bohemian Style has one win from eight-lifetime starts and has little chance of performing well in this race. He was recently claimed out of a $12,500 non-winners-of-two-lifetime event, and it's unlikely that a horse coming from that level can win the Grade 3 Ohio Derby. With all due respect to his connections, it's just not realistic. Additionally, his two races without Lasix produced his worst speed figures, according to Equibase.


8. Curvino (12/1) Jockey: Mike Smith Trainer: Peter Miller


Curvino is cross-entered in two other races on June 18 and June 20, respectively. While he finished fifth in his most recent optional claiming race after breaking slowly, he had previously shown ability with a second-place finish in similar company on a sloppy track. His record of one win from 12 starts with three seconds and four third-place finishes suggests he can hit the board in route races, but his speed and class ratings are much below other horses in this field. I would use him in trifectas and superfectas.


9. Master Controller (20/1) Jockey: Prayven Badrie Trainer: Brittany Vanden Berg


Master Controller recently collected his first victory, winning a race at 6 ½ furlongs by leading the field with strong early fractions at Churchill Downs on May 24. He earned a career-high Equibase Speed Figure of 98, likely benefiting from being on Lasix for the first time. His last three races without Lasix produced very slow-speed figures. Winning a maiden race and then jumping all the way up to stakes company is extremely difficult, especially for a horse whose pedigree hasn't shown ability in dirt routes.


10. Mo Plex (6/1) Jockey: Joseph Ramos Trainer: Jeremiah Englehart


Purchased by R and H Stable for $45,000, Mo Plex has earned $445,000, the highest amount in the field. He has never placed worse than third in his seven-lifetime starts, which include four wins. Mo Plex has tactical speed and valuable stakes experience. He recently won the Bay Shore Stakes by a head, achieving a career-high 101 Equibase Speed Figure. Mo Plex has demonstrated versatility in his running style, able to either stalk the pace or press from the outside. This will be his first attempt at a two-turn race, which makes the outside post a challenging position. His team has prepared him with two impressive workouts leading up to this race. Live Longshot.


Selections: Win-Place


#4 McAfee (3/1)


$1 Trifecta


Win: #2, #4, #6, #10


Place: #2, #4, #6, #10


Show: #2 #6, #8, #10


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