Kontiki, who showed immense promise as a juvenile last summer in Ohio, looks to keep rounding back into form in the $75,000 Southern Park Stakes for statebred 3-year-old fillies sprinting six furlongs on Thursday at Mahoning Valley.
Kontiki, by Midshipman, was purchased by Stonestreet Farm at the 2024 Keeneland September yearling sale and is trained by Brad Cox. She finished sixth in her debut last April at Keeneland and then proceeded to win her next three starts by a combined 27 lengths.
After beginning with a maiden win against open company at Indiana, she took advantage of statebred stakes opportunities against fillies. She won the Tah Dah Stakes in July at Belterra Park, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 72, easily the best in this field. She then won the Miss Ohio Stakes in August at Thistledown.
Open-company stakes losses followed to end the season, but Kontiki would appear to have excuses in both. She tried synthetic in the Presque Isle Debutante, and after breaking an uncharacteristic last of 10, she finished well to be fourth. She then went back to dirt but stretched to 7 1/2 furlongs, the farthest she has ever been, in the My Trusty Cat Stakes in November at Delta Downs. After showing speed, she stopped badly and was eased to the line last of eight.
Kontiki, who has been training with Cox’s string at Turfway Park, made her season debut in an allowance back against statebred fillies on March 2 at Mahoning and turned in an encouraging effort to be second while facing several others who are in the Southern Park.
The stakes-placed filly Perfect Angel won the race wire to wire, earning a Beyer of 62, the second-highest number in this race. Another Southern Park entrant, All Pepped Up, was third. Dunn’s River, who finished sixth in the allowance, won the Glacial Princess Stakes last November. She was second in the Loyalty Stakes against colts and third in the Miss Ohio behind Kontiki.
Cast Your Spell was a runaway maiden winner sprinting last year. Then, in her second career start, she finished second in the Best of Ohio John W Galbreath Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on the fall state showcase program at Mahoning. She cuts back to a preferred distance for her 3-year-old debut.
Spun in Dominus, also making her 3-year-old debut, was second in the Emerald Necklace Stakes last fall.
No Napping comes off back-to-back wins at Mahoning and has won three of her last four starts overall. Echo Valley and Miss Elecktra are also local allowance winners. Miss Elecktra was third in the Tah Dah behind Kontiki last summer.
The Southern Park is the first open Ohio-registered stakes of 2026. On March 2 at Mahoning Valley, Dynamic Vision won the $50,000 OTBO Sales Graduate Stakes for Ohio-bred sophomores who had passed through the sales ring at any OTBO sale. Mahoning Valley continues its stand on the circuit into April, with Thistledown scheduled to open on April 20 and Belterra on May 1.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.