It was a small, orderly field that went to post in the Cincinnatian Stakes at River Downs on Saturday, but they entertained the fans with an exciting finish. Blazing Meadows Farm's Startin Something was the 2-year-old champion in Ohio last season, but she had yet to win a race in three starts this year. With Cesar Camaque in the saddle she jumped out of the gate and arched her neck to the inside through the lane the first time with odds-on favorite School Lass in hot pursuit every step of the way. Those two were never more than a head apart for the next six furlongs.
Turning for home, Starting Something decided to take a different view of the track and tilted her head toward the outside, as if measuring School Lass who had backed off 1/2 length. With 50 yards left to run, School Lass and jockey Joe Johnson dug back in and were getting to the champ, only to fall a neck short at the wire. It was two lengths back to Flopsy who led the other two starters as the field ran 1-2-3-4-5 all the way through the 1 1/16 mile test on the turf track.
"She was trying to get out through the first turn for some reason," said the 27-year-old Camaque. "Maybe it was her first time on the grass. She calmed down after the first half-mile, then turning for home she was looking the other way. I can tell you this - she's going to be a good turf horse. We felt the favorite coming back to us late, but she dug in. School Lass beat us twice this year, but we got to turn the tables today."
Sent away as the second choice, Startin Something paid $6.00, $2.40 and $2.10. Favored School Lass returned $2.10 and $2.10, while Flopsy had a show payoff of $2.80.