The son of Elusive Quality was a winner in his native Brazil before shipping to the United States as a 5-year-old for trainer Paulo Lobo. Ohio won two allowance optional claiming events and was third in the 2016 Del Mar Mile Handicap (G2T) before being dropped into claiming company at the age of 7.
As fate would have it, trainer Michael McCarthy put in a slip for the bay and secured the gelding for $50,000 on behalf of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Bruce Treitman.
Ohio flourished under McCarthy’s care, scoring the biggest victory of his career in the 2019 Frank E. Kilroe Mile Stakes (G1T) at Santa Anita Park and notched three consecutive runnings of the Cotton Fitzsimmons Mile Handicap at Turf Paradise, including this year’s edition. He also placed in the City of Hope Mile Stakes (G2T), Thunder Road Stakes (G3T), and Berkeley Handicap (G3).
The 10-year-old made his last start in the April 24 San Francisco Mile Stakes (G3T) at Golden Gate Fields, finishing sixth. He retires with an 11-5-4 record from 37 starts and earnings of $639,748.
Bred by Fazenda Mondesir, Ohio is the only stakes winner produced from his group 3-winning dam, the Nedawi mare Etoile Blanc .