Pleasant Prince, Worldly highlight Ohio Derby

Florida Derby (G1) runner-up PLEASANT PRINCE (Indy King) and Northern Dancer

S. (G3) runner-up WORLDLY (A.P. Indy) highlight a 10-horse field in Saturday's

$100,000

Ohio

Derby (G3) at Thistledown. Grade 3 winner DIXIE BAND (Dixie Union) is also

entered, and the 1 1/16-mile event marks the stakes debut for MYKINDACANDY

(Candy Ride [Arg]), who exits a pair of wins at Churchill Downs for Bobby

Barnett.

The Wesley Ward-trained Pleasant Prince will looking for his stakes victory.

He just missed in the Florida Derby, finishing second by a nose to subsequent

Kentucky Derby (G1) runner-up Ice Box (Pulpit), but couldn't qualify for the

"Run for the Roses" due to insufficient graded earnings following a seventh in

the Blue Grass (G1) and a third in the Derby Trial (G3). The chestnut colt never

fired when 11th in the Preakness (G1) last time, but he's eligible to turn

things around at the North Randall, Ohio, track. Alex Solis will pick up the

mount.

Worldly placed in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at two but earned a

freshening following a pair of unplaced finishes in the Lecomte (G3) and Risen

Star (G2) this winter at Fair Grounds. The Paul McGee trainee turned in a couple

of solid efforts versus turf allowance rivals before returning to the main track

in the June 12 Northern Dancer, where he missed by only a neck in an encouraging

performance. He'll get the services of local rider Luis Gonzalez.

Dixie Band captured both the Arlington-Washington Futurity (G3) and

Spectacular Bid S. last year but didn't run well when making his first two

appearances at three in the Swale S. (G2) at Gulfstream and a turf allowance at

Keeneland. The Wayne Catalano pupil got back on track in a July 4

allowance/optional claiming event at Churchill Downs, winning by 3 1/2 lengths,

and merits respect on Saturday with Shane Sellers up. Miguel Mena will be in to

ride Mykindacandy, who broke his maiden by 9 1/4 lengths two starts back before

capturing a one-mile allowance at Churchill Downs last out. The chestnut will

try two turns for the first time on Saturday.