The 77th running of the $100,000 Ohio Derby (gr. III) at Thistledown returns to its traditional June scheduling this year. The venerable race tops a 17-race stakes schedule at the Cleveland-area track for 2011. Highlighting the latter part of the meeting is the Best of Ohio Series Oct. 15.

With the exception of the Ohio Derby, all stakes are restricted to accredited or registered Ohio-breds.

Thistledown will present 122 days of dirt-track Thoroughbred racing in 2011, opening Apr. 23 and closing Nov. 5. The track will race Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday through August and then, bucking a national trend to shorter race weeks, will add racing on Thursdays beginning Sept. 7.  First post is 1:50 p.m. ET daily.

The live dates encompass four meets—Summit, Thistledown, Randall, and Cranwood—each named for a track or meet that operated in the area before all four were consolidated at Thistledown, the last in 1969.
The 2011 Thistledown stakes schedule:

Date        Race                                                          
Apr 30      Dr. T. F. Classen Memorial S. (R),   6f,   3up F&M, $50,000
May 28     Michael F. Rowland Memorial H. (R),  6f,  3up,  $50,000
May 30     Angenora S. (R),   6f,  3up F&M,  $50,000
June 4     Ohio Derby (gr.III),  8.5f,  3yo,  $100,000
June 18   J. Wm Petro Memorial H. (R),  8.5f,   3up F&M,  $50,000
July 2       Cleveland Gold Cup (R),  9f,  3yo,  $75,000
July 16    George Lewis Memorial S. (R),  9f,   3up,  $50,000
Aug 6      Cleveland Kindergarten S. (R), 6f,   2yo,  $50,000
Aug 20    Honey Jay S. (R),  6f,   3up,  $50,000
Aug 27    Miss Ohio S. (R),  6f,   2yo Fillies,  $50,000
Sept 3     Rose DeBartolo Memorial S. (R),   9f,  3up F&M,  $50,000
Sept 10   Governor’s Buckeye Cup (R),  10f,   3up,  $50,000
Oct 15     Best of Ohio Distaff (R),  9f,  3up F&M,  $75,000
Oct 15     Best of Ohio Endurance (R),  10f,  3up,  $75,000
Oct 15     Best of Ohio Sprint (R),  6f,  3up,  $50,000
Oct 15     John W. Galbreath (R),   8.5f,  2yo Fillies,  $75,000
Oct 15     Juvenile S. (R),   8.5f,   2yo,  $75,000