CLEVELAND, Ohio, CMC – Rocco Bowen of Barbados was in winners’ row on Saturday as he captured the $100,000 Best of Ohio Governor’s Buckeye Cup here at Thistledown onboard Fair and Square.
Fair and Square, the reigning Ohio-bred horse of the year, led throughout to registering a dominant victory.
Bowen took the lead early in the one 1/4-mile race and led by a length through an honest opening half in 47.48 seconds. He had widened that to two lengths at the quarter pole over a chasing I Want to Win – the 2022 Endurance winner and defending winner of the Buckeye Cup in 2022 and 2023.
Fair and Square widened as he pleased to the wire, winning by 4 3/4 lengths and finishing the 10 furlongs in 2:03.80.
General Mathis came on for second place by three lengths over. I want a win.
Fair and Square ($2.40) helped key a big day for his connections, racing as a homebred for Ohio-based trainer and breeder Tim Hamm’s Blazing Meadows Farm and a regular partner in Kentucky-based WinStar Farm.
On Saturday, the partnership won three Best of Ohio state showcase races, including the $100,000 Honey Jay Stakes with Stage Name and the $100,000 Cleveland Kindergarten with Fortissimo.
and then 