Ohio Derby

Private Man, ridden by John Velazquez, overtook heavily favored Richman on the final turn and pulled away in the stretch for a 2 1/2-length victory in Saturday's $300,000 Ohio Derby at Thistledown. The winner returned $16.80, $4.60 and $2.20. Richman paid $2.60 and $2.20, and Shudanz paid $3.60 to show. The winner's time for the 1 1/8-mile race was 1:50 1/5.

Majestic Sweep led wire-to-wire to beat favorite Technology by 2 1/2 lengths in the $300,000 Ohio Derby at Thistledown in North Randall, Ohio. "I was never worried about being caught," Earlie Fires said after riding Majestic Sweep to victory. He covered the 1 1/8-mile course in a slow 1:50 to win $180,000. Going off at 3-1 odds behind favorites Technology and Treekster, Majestic Sweep was able to avenge a loss to Technology in the Tropical Park Derby.

Private School, a 16-1 longshot, charged past favorites Restless Con and Real Cash in the stretch to win the 56th running of the $300,000 Ohio Derby at Thistle Downs in a photo finish Saturday. Restless Con led at the top of the stretch, with Real Cash a close second. But just as Real Cash moved inside to avoid a tie-up with the leader, Private School sprinted past them both, beating Restless Con by a head with Real Cash third.

Private Man, ridden by John Velazquez, overtook heavily favored Richman on the final turn and pulled away in the stretch for a 2 1/2-length victory in Saturday's $300,000 Ohio Derby at Thistledown. The winner returned $16.80, $4.60 and $2.20. Richman paid $2.60 and $2.20, and Shudanz paid $3.60 to show. The winner's time for the 1 1/8-mile race was 1:50 1/5.

Lost Code, winner of his previous four races, broke in front at the start and led all the way to win Saturday's $250,000 Ohio Derby by 3 1/2 lengths over Proudest Duke. The 53rd running of the race marked an inauspicious comeback attempt by Demons Begone, who was racing for the first time since he failed to finish the Kentucky Derby because he bled from the nostrils.

One of the biggest surprises of the May 7 Kentucky Derby was the post-race decision by trainer Bob Holthus to skip the Preakness Stakes with fourth-place finisher Proper Reality in favor of a string of midwest races, including the the $250,000 Ohio Derby June 18. Though horses who finished further behind Derby winner Winning Colors were going on to Baltimore, Holthus said he was tired of "knocking heads" with the top 3-year-olds.

Majestic Sweep led wire-to-wire to beat favorite Technology by 2 1/2 lengths in the $300,000 Ohio Derby at Thistledown in North Randall, Ohio. "I was never worried about being caught," Earlie Fires said after riding Majestic Sweep to victory. He covered the 1 1/8-mile course in a slow 1:50 to win $180,000. Going off at 3-1 odds behind favorites Technology and Treekster, Majestic Sweep was able to avenge a loss to Technology in the Tropical Park Derby.

"I got to where I didn't know if I wanted to go on," Woody Stephens said. He was not talking about whether he wanted to go on training horses, which he has been doing for 50 years, or living, which he has been doing for about 76 years. That's "about" 76 years because Woodford Cefis Stephens has been known to approximate as well as exaggerate when talking about himself. "For a good many years," says Keene Daingerfield, the wondrous wise racing judge of Lexington, Ky., "Woody and I were the same age. And now I find he's two years younger."

Skip Trial, a 35-1 longshot, passed a tiring Spend a Buck in the stretch Saturday and scored a 3 3/4-length victory in the $350,000 Haskell Invitational Handicap at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J. Belmont Stakes and American Derby winner Creme Fraiche was third, a length behind Spend a Buck, the Kentucky Derby and Jersey Derby champion, in the 1 1/8-mile race. Encolure was fourth.

Private School, a 16-1 longshot, charged past favorites Restless Con and Real Cash in the stretch to win the 56th running of the $300,000 Ohio Derby at Thistle Downs in a photo finish Saturday. Restless Con led at the top of the stretch, with Real Cash a close second. But just as Real Cash moved inside to avoid a tie-up with the leader, Private School sprinted past them both, beating Restless Con by a head with Real Cash third.

"I got to where I didn't know if I wanted to go on," Woody Stephens said. He was not talking about whether he wanted to go on training horses, which he has been doing for 50 years, or living, which he has been doing for about 76 years. That's "about" 76 years because Woodford Cefis Stephens has been known to approximate as well as exaggerate when talking about himself. "For a good many years," says Keene Daingerfield, the wondrous wise racing judge of Lexington, Ky., "Woody and I were the same age. And now I find he's two years younger."

One of the biggest surprises of the May 7 Kentucky Derby was the post-race decision by trainer Bob Holthus to skip the Preakness Stakes with fourth-place finisher Proper Reality in favor of a string of midwest races, including the the $250,000 Ohio Derby June 18. Though horses who finished further behind Derby winner Winning Colors were going on to Baltimore, Holthus said he was tired of "knocking heads" with the top 3-year-olds.

Lost Code, winner of his previous four races, broke in front at the start and led all the way to win Saturday's $250,000 Ohio Derby by 3 1/2 lengths over Proudest Duke. The 53rd running of the race marked an inauspicious comeback attempt by Demons Begone, who was racing for the first time since he failed to finish the Kentucky Derby because he bled from the nostrils.

Skip Trial, a 35-1 longshot, passed a tiring Spend a Buck in the stretch Saturday and scored a 3 3/4-length victory in the $350,000 Haskell Invitational Handicap at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J. Belmont Stakes and American Derby winner Creme Fraiche was third, a length behind Spend a Buck, the Kentucky Derby and Jersey Derby champion, in the 1 1/8-mile race. Encolure was fourth.

Midway Road, a distant second to Funny Cide in the Preakness, and Wild And Wicked, a half-brother to The Wicked North, head the field for the $300,000 Ohio Derby at Thistledown. A Grade II at 1 1/8 miles, the Ohio Derby is part of the National Thoroughbred Racing Assn.'s summer pick three. The other two races in the sequence are the $300,000 Ogden Phipps Handicap at Belmont Park and the $250,000 Dallas Turf Cup Handicap at Lone Star Park.