Miz Keeta, who took a big leap forward the first time she went two turns on the turf, will look to bounce back from a fifth-place finish in the Tomboy Stakes when she takes on older horses for the first time in the $75,000 Miss Southern Ohio Stakes on Friday at Belterra Park. The race is for Ohio-accredited fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles on the turf.
Miz Keeta, who was bred by trainer Robert Gorham and races for him with longtime partner Mast Thoroughbreds, won three times in her first six career starts sprinting on dirt – the most recent of those wins coming in a $50,000 claiming race on June 19. From there, Gorham wheeled the filly into the Cincinnatian Stakes for 3-year-old Ohio-bred fillies going 1 1/16 miles on the Belterra turf just eight days later. She stalked the pace in second, then unleashed a powerful late kick to win by 2 3/4 lengths.
In the Tomboy, under similar conditions Aug. 30, Miz Keeta found herself on the lead. She took the field to the far turn, but then weakened to fifth, beaten 2 1/2 lengths while still matching her career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 62. She will look to rebound here under Fernando Salazar Becerra, who she has been partnered with in her last four starts. Many in this field figure to be stalking the pace in second or third, where Miz Keeta does her best running, so she and Becerra will have to avoid being boxed in.
Miz Keeta is coupled in the wagering with the 5-year-old Goodness Sakes, a two-time allowance winner this year. Goodness Sakes was well beaten in two recent stakes outings, most recently finishing fifth in the Vivacious at this distance on this course in July.
Green Lady also is facing older fillies and mares here for Tom Drury Jr. The filly has never been worse than second in five career starts, including finishing in a dead heat for second in the Cincinnatian. Like Miz Keeta, she would like to closely track the speed.
Miss Eliana, Ratatat, and Ronni’s Wind are all coming in off allowance-level wins.
The $75,000 Loyalty Stakes for Ohio-accredited 2-year-olds sprinting six furlongs on the main track is the Friday co-feature. All in this field are looking for their first stakes win. Only Live a Little and Ronnis Second Wind have previously started in stakes company, and both were well beaten in those outings.
The best Beyer in this field belongs to the filly Come On Arlene, part of an entry with Live a Little and Parlay for trainer Tim Hamm. Come On Arlene took five tries to win her maiden, but the first time she was coupled with jockey Laureano Sosa, she roared to a front-running 7 1/4-length score on Sept. 6 with a Beyer of 50.
Come On Arlene’s entrymate Parlay was a second-out maiden winner with a Beyer of 48. Just Like Rambo earned that same number in his debut win.