Racing For Three will try to become the first horse to repeat in the $75,000 USD MGM Buckeye Distaff on Saturday, June 7 at MGM Northfield Park.

While the victory in 2024 was sweet, her connections know there is a tall task in front of her.

“We drew outside this year, versus post two last year; things will be a lot different that’s for sure,” said trainer AJ Carlo. “Her winning last year was so amazing, it was the largest race we have ever won.”

Racing has become a family affair for the Carlos, who spend time working together to ensure that the stable operates like a well-oiled machine, but they also like to enjoy some time away from the races.

“We really enjoy our fun time as a family. My wife [Brittany] really loves Disney, but now that the two boys are getting older, I’m trying to turn her on to Universal,” joked Carlo.

Carlo admits things can get a little tense in the barn but says his wife Brittany is the glue that holds everything together.

“My wife is my rock; she tries her best to keep me balanced. She is exceptionally good at keeping me cool in tough situations,” said Carlo.

This year in the MGM Buckeye Distaff, things will be more difficult for Racing For Three due to the outside draw. Last year, she was able to save ground from post two and angle off the rail turning for home to win by three-quarters of a length.

On Saturday, she will be tasked with post seven (of nine), and although that will be a daunting task, the five-year-old by Western Terror, known as “Boss” in the barn, will have a lot of fight in her based on how she’s been training.

“She has been full of herself and had a great attitude this week,” laughed Carlo. “She is the boss of the barn. Small but mighty. She has no idea how small she is or at least she doesn’t act like she knows.”

Statistically, she doesn’t realize how small she is, putting up big numbers in each of her first three years of racing with $418,926 in career earnings and 16 wins in 64 starts.

Another difference between Racing For Three and some of her competition is that she has a friend in the barn with her, a goat, that has helped her mature into the mare she is today.

“At two and three, she loved to dig and the holes were so big you could bury a body in them. Her goat was the only thing that made her slow down, almost to a stop,” said Carlo.

While Carlo knows the task in front of them, he enters Saturday’s MGM Buckeye Distaff confident their mare will be up to the assignment.

“I wish she drew better, but that is the game we play and it is what it is,” said Carlo. “I believe she is 5-0 on a half. She doesn’t mind the size of the track at all. She will be on her toes this weekend.”

Racing For Three enters Saturday’s Distaff off a third-place finish against conditioned company at Scioto Downs. She has been racing mostly in Southern Ohio, holding her own hitting the board in seven of her 18 starts this season.

“A win this weekend would definitely be worth a trip to Disney but, of course, we would have to wait until the fall,” laughed a jubilant Carlo.

Racing For Three, with Kayne Kauffman picking up the catch-drive, will have to take on eight other foes, including My Red Sea (Brett Miller), Beautiful Seaside (Chris Lems), Fearless Ginger (Chris Page), Tarapasta (Austin Hanners), Naked On A Hill (Aaron Merriman), No Foolin April (Jeremy Smith), Hey Hey Mama (Matt Kakaley) and Do It Like Bobbi (Dan Noble).

The MGM Buckeye Distaff, an invitational for Ohio-sired mares, is part of Saturday's 16-race program featuring the $200,000 USD Battle of Lake Erie. The program will have a $25,000 estimated Pick-4 pool beginning in the 11th race Battle of Lake Erie and a $20,000 estimated Super High-5 in the 13th race MGM Buckeye Distaff. Post time on Saturday is 6 p.m.

(With files from Northfield Park; photo of Racing For Three winning at Northfield Park in 2023)