A strong family continues to develop in Ohio, as reigning statebred horse of the year Generous Lover scored a repeat win in the Vivacious Stakes on Friday at Belterra Park – less than three hours after her younger half-sister, Kontiki, continued to announce herself with a dominant win in the Jim Morgan Memorial Tah Dah Stakes.
Generous Lover, by Bolt d'Oro, and Kontiki, by Midshipman, are out of the unraced Dixie Union mare Hula Skirt, and were bred in Ohio by Smokin C, LLC. Hula Skirt is the dam of four winners from six starters; the mare is a full sister to graded stakes winner Grasshopper, who was second in the Travers Stakes, to graded stakes winner Turf War, and to stakes winner Straw Hat.
Generous Lover changed hands at auction several times as a young horse, but was claimed by her current connections, trainer Joe Sharp and owner Carl Moore Management, for $50,000 in May 2024 at Churchill Downs. Since then, she has won two editions of the Vivacious, along with the Best of Ohio Distaff and Best of Ohio Pay the Man Stakes, and has placed in two other statebred stakes.
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With Generous Lover's profile rising, the young Kontiki was a $170,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase last year by Stonestreet Farm, and was turned over to trainer Brad Cox, connections who aren't often seen in Ohio-bred races.
The filly won her debut against open company in Indiana. In her stakes debut in Friday’s Tah Dah against her fellow statebred juvenile fillies, Kontiki ($4.20) closed with a rush into the pace and stormed clear to a 7 3/4-length win under Fernando De La Cruz.
A few hours later, Generous Lover ($2.80), with Luis Rivera in the irons, repeated in the Vivacious for fillies and mares, originally scheduled for the turf, but taken off and run on the main track then rated good. The favorite had a fairly uncomplicated trip. She stalked the pace of longshot My Girl Kew in second, briefly dueled with that one around the far turn, opened up a clear lead in the stretch, and then easily held sway by 1 3/4 lengths over Here's the Spider, who came on from last after getting away slowly.
The Tah Dah was joined on the card by the $75,000 Hoover Stakes; these are the first stakes of the year for Ohio-bred 2-year-olds. No More Cents wore down favored Crown the Buckeye and pulled clear late for a 2 1/4-length win; the top two were both making their career debuts.
No More Cents ($8.40), who is trained by Kenny McPeek and was ridden by Declan Cannon, stopped the clock in 1:05.88. That was just a shade slower than the sister race, the Tah Dah, which ran on a wet-fast, sealed track. The Hoover was run later in the card on a track rated good.
Ronnis Second Wind ($19.80), scored an upset win in the $75,000 Horizon Stakes for Ohio-accredited 3-year-olds, which was also taken off the turf. The eventual winner chased the top two wagering choices, stakes winners Just Like Rambo and favored filly Parlay, around the track before overhauling them late for a 4 1/4-length score. Just Like Rambo edged Parlay by a neck for second as they finished well clear of the rest of the field. Ronnis Second Wind had Victor Fernandez in the irons for trainer Robert Cline.
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