Race Details
Event: Best of Ohio Babst/Palacios Memorial Stakes (Listed)
Date: Friday, June 6, 2025
Time: 3:35 PM ET
Venue: Belterra Park, Cincinnati, OH
Distance: 6 furlongs (Dirt)
Purse: $100,000 (Includes $35,000 Ohio Thoroughbred Fund)
Broadcast: TVG, FanDuel Racing
Recent Performance:
Empire’s Fire won his last race at Thistledown by three lengths.
Shadowy finished second in the Tall Stack Stakes, showing strong closing speed.
Henry Mac placed third in the Green Carpet Stakes prep race, proving his stamina.
Top Horses, Jockeys & Trainers
| Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Pedigree |
| Empire’s Fire | Jose A. Bracho | Jeffrey A. Radosevich | Sired by Empire Way, out of Victoria’s On Fire |
| Shadowy | James Graham | Timothy E. Hamm | Sired by National Flag, out of Feeling Ethereal |
| Henry Mac | Erik Barbaran | Jeffrey A. Radosevich | Sired by Midshipman, out of Boom Boom Bertie |
| Hip Hip Hooray | Fernando Salazar Becerra | Robert M. Gorham | Sired by Congrats, out of Nocturne |
| Stage Name | Angel I. Diaz | Timothy E. Hamm | Sired by Bodemeister, out of Apachee Cruise |
| Orfano | Victor Lebron | Richard Estvanko | Sired by Bodemeister, out of Ethyl Ether |
| River Boat | Albin Jimenez | Thomas Drury, Jr. | Sired by Good Samaritan, out of Midnite Party |
| Ruffin | Chris Landeros | Brian Waltz | Sired by Competitive Edge, out of Ohio Gold |
| Scrimper | Alexander Chavez | Richard Zielinski | Sired by Klimt, out of Pinchpenny |
| Golden Flag | Rocco Bowen | Timothy E. Hamm | Sired by National Flag, out of Spun From Gold. |
Race Analysis & Prediction
The Babst/Palacios Memorial Stakes is a premier sprint for three-year-olds and up, showcasing Ohio’s top thoroughbred talent. This year’s field features a mix of speedsters and closers, setting up an exciting battle.
Empire’s Fire enters as the morning-line favorite, having dominated his last race at Thistledown. His Empire Way pedigree suggests elite sprinting ability, and with Jose A. Bracho aboard, he’s a strong contender.
Shadowy, trained by Timothy E. Hamm, has shown explosive late speed and could capitalize if the pace is fast.
Henry Mac is the wild card, having shown strong closing ability in his last race. If the frontrunners tire, he could surge late.
Best Bets & Predictions
Win Bet: Empire’s Fire (5-2) – Strong pedigree and top jockey.
Exacta Box: Empire’s Fire / Shadowy – Speed duel potential.
Longshot Play: Henry Mac (7-2) – Late-running threat.
