Only Take Cash back in action in tonight’s $50,000 Scarlet and Gray Invitational at Miami Valley Raceway.

by Jay Wolf

Only Take Cash, the 2018 Ohio Two-Year-Old Filly Trotter of the Year, will be making her first start of the 2019 campaign in tonight’s $50,000 Scarlet and Gray Invitational at Miami Valley Raceway (post #5; 5-2 with Aaron Merriman).

The filly is co-bred, co-owned and trained by Bob McIntosh. McIntosh shares ownership with Dave Boyle and Mardon Stables (Marv Chantler), who purchased his half of the talented lass from co-breeder CSX Stable.

Last season, Only Take Cash won eight of nine starts and bankrolled $272,140.

Her only defeat was a second-place finish (beaten by a neck) in the first leg of the Ohio Sires Stake on July 3 at Northfield Park.

“That first start at Northfield we really didn’t know what we had,” said McIntosh. “(Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) drove her conservatively and that was probably the best thing for her.”

Following that defeat, Only Take Cash rattled off seven straight wins, including the Ohio State Fair Stakes, Ohio Sire Stakes Final and the Ohio Breeder’s Championship – to sweep Ohio’s “Triple Crown.”

“The rest of the year she just clicked,” said the Hall of Fame trainer. “She’s like a little pit-bull because she wants to win so badly. That is what we call her, ‘Pit Bull.’”

Only Take Cash is the product of a pair of former McIntosh pupils — sire Cash Hall ($554,298; TT1:51.1h) and dam Armbro Affair ($430,997; 1:53.4s).

Armbro Affair was unraced at two, won 9 of 22 starts at three and won the $250,000 Breeders Crown Mare Trot at four. McIntosh tried to return the champion to the track at the age of 10 due to breeding issues.

“(Armbro Affair) had an OCD in a stifle (at two) and we had to take that out. After her racing career was over, she was tough to breed.”

McIntosh sold Armbro Affair last August.

“She really hadn’t done anything in the breeding shed. Once I sold her, of course I get this filly,” said McIntosh. laughing. “I have a Muscle Mass 2-year-old (named Fit Bitt) and he’s training well.”

Sire Cash Hall stood at Cool Winds Farm since 2014, but was retired from stud duty in February.

“He developed a heart condition and cannot breed anymore,” said McIntosh. “He was a pretty good sire. I thought this would be his big year.”

McIntosh is optimistic for Only Take Cash’s sophomore season.

“She wasn’t very big last year, but she grew over the winter. She is a decent size now,” said the 66-year-old conditioner. “She’s the most pure-gaited trotter. Cash Hall had no wasted motion and she is the same way. She is like a sewing machine, no wasted motion. She has that ‘X factor’ that you can’t breed into them.”

“When she qualified (second place finish on April 18 at Woodbine Mohawk Park), Bob (McClure) only called on her about 50 feet from the wire. Once they got past the wire, he couldn’t get her pulled up. That’s a good sign. I was super happy.

“I was going to qualify her again. By chance, I saw the USTA site and I saw something about this invitational. I scrambled to get a hold of people and I got in. I think it is the right spot for her. She goes right back the next week for the sire stake. It is good way to start out the year.”

Only Take Cash will take on eight opponents in tonight’s 10th race (estimated post time 9:05 PM). Trainer Chris Beaver will send out a quartet of challengers including Aunt Rose (post #2 with Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.), the 7-2 second choice.

While McIntosh is excited for the start of 2019’s Ohio stakes action, he also has his eye on bigger prizes this season.

“I took a leap this year. Last year, I only staked her to Ohio events. This year, I put her in just about everything.”

“I look forward to this year with her. Hopefully, everything stays good, said McIntosh. “She is one of those that doesn’t come around every day.”