In a performance that might signal a changing of the guard in the Buckeye State's distaff ranks, Silent Rule bested reigning Ohio-bred horse of the year Generous Lover by four lengths in the $100,000 Best of Ohio Diana Stakes on Friday's state showcase card at Belterra Park in Cincinnati.
Friday's card was the first of three Best of Ohio programs, each comprised of five $100,000 stakes, that will be held at the state's three Thoroughbred tracks throughout the year. This action will be followed by a card at Thistledown in August and a fall showcase at Mahoning Valley.
Silent Rule ($3) remained unbeaten in nine career starts with her victory in the Diana, at six furlongs for fillies and mares, against Generous Lover, who was named Ohio's horse of the year for her multiple stakes-winning campaign in 2024. That mare was coming off a strong runner-up effort against open allowance company on Kentucky Derby weekend, finishing second to graded stakes winner Lemon Muffin.
Meanwhile, Silent Rule, who is trained by Jay Bernardini for John Hoctel, had been developing in the background. She won her stakes debut in last fall's First Lady Stakes at Mahoning Valley with front-running tactics. However, she showed a different dimension when winning the J. William Petro Memorial on May 8 at Thistledown in her prep for the Best of Ohio, making a four-wide move to rally to a widening lead.
There was little suspense in the Diana, which scratched from eight entries down to a field of just three, and it was a two-horse race throughout. Silent Rule, with Brandon Tapara in the irons, immediately bounced out to the lead through a sharp quarter in 21.42 seconds on a main track rated fast. Generous Lover, well-held early to sit on that one's flank, began to come under pressure from her rider entering the far turn.
Silent Rule led by 1 1/2 lengths through the half in 44.63 seconds. She was shaken up down the lane but remained full of run to the wire. After Generous Lover, it was 10 1/2 lengths back to Midnight Wonder in third. The time for the six furlongs was 1:11.33.
The other Best of Ohio stakes winners on the card were champion Empire's Fire; Wonder World, by disqualification; Just Like Rambo; and Spellcast.
· Empire's Fire prevailed in the $100,000 Best of Ohio Babst/Palacios Memorial for older sprinters, finally breaking through after finishing second in the 2023 edition and third last year. Empire's Fire ($8.40), last year's champion Ohio-bred male sprinter, came into the stretch with a lead under Jose Bracho and was never seriously threatened, hitting the wire 1 1/2 lengths in front. He finished the six furlongs in 1:11.68. Empire's Fire, who is trained by Jeff Radosevich, won five of his eight starts in 2024, including the Best of Ohio Sprint in the fall, to secure his statebred title.
· It took a troubled trip which led to a disqualification to hand Ohio-bred champion Silver Kiss her first career loss, with Wonder Wheel promoted to the victory in the $100,000 Best of Ohio Norm Barron Queen City Oaks for 3-year-old fillies. Silver Kiss was leading throughout when Lo Bug, attempting to go by her at the eighth pole, lugged in. Silver Kiss was bumped and forced to steady sharply, and Lo Bug went on to cross the line 2 1/4 lengths ahead of Wonder World, who had rallied from last in the field of seven. Lo Bug was disqualified to fourth behind Silver Kiss, giving Wonder World ($43) the upset win. The time for the 1 1/16 miles was 1:49.03. Wonder World had Luis Rivera in the irons for trainer Robert Gorham.
· Despite running off early, Just Like Rambo ($14) had enough in the tank to win the $100,000 Best of Ohio Green Carpet Stakes for 3-year-olds on the turf. Just Like Rambo was bumped at the start and then became keen, dragging Perry Ouzts to a 5 1/2-length lead through the opening half while the veteran rider managed to keep him wrangled down to a 47.58 fraction. The lead had been cut down to a length by Boots Malone turning for home, but Just Like Rambo found enough to repel that one and then hold off Ohio-bred champion Fortissimo by a length at the line. The gelding, trained by Larry Smith, finished the 1 1/6 miles in 1:47.04 on turf rated firm.
· Favored Spellcast ($3.80) easily held sway over his uncoupled Tim Hamm-trained stablemate Villain for a 1 3/4-length win in the $100,000 Best of Ohio Sydney Gendelman Stakes for older horses on the turf. He finished the 1 1/16 miles on the firm turf in 1:43.60. Spellcast, who had Rocco Bowen in the irons, races as a homebred for Hamm and Kentucky-based WinStar Farm. He had shown his turf ability by winning the Best of Ohio Green Carpet on this program last year.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.