Eight Michigan Sires Stakes (MISS) championships will be contested on a special Labor Day afternoon card on Monday, Sept. 2, at Hazel Park Raceway.
Four races will be held on the holiday card that gets underway at 1:30 p.m., while four will be raced as non-betting races prior to the program at 11:30 a.m.
All four MISS two-year-old champions are in this year’s finals and have a chance to repeat. The quartet of horses, who were also all named 2012 champions in their respective divisions by the Michigan Harness Horsemen’s Association, includes the three-year-old filly pacer Super Soph, who went undefeated in nine starts last year.
Trained by Greg West and owned by Brian Campbell, Mark Wamp and Ryan Morefield, Super Soph has six wins in 13 starts this year, including the Michigan Breeders Futurity on Aug. 19 at Hazel Park. A daughter of Admirals Galley, Super Soph is a full sister to Canada’s 2005 Horse of the Year Admirals Express, who was just inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. The $34,627 MISS final for three-year-old filly pacers is one of the four early races, with the Jason Merriman-driven Super Soph leaving from post 1 against just three rivals, including Spartan Futurity winner Reiwatch.
On the wagering program, Kendall Marie will try to defend her title in the $39,377 MISS final for three-year-old filly trotters. The daughter of Keystone Nordic has four wins in 14 starts this year, including the Spartan Futurity on Aug. 13 at Midland. Peter Otten will drive for trainer Keith Hough from post 4 in Race 7.
Reigning champ Thatll Be The Rei, who amassed a nine-race win streak last year, brings a five-race skein into Monday’s $37,827 final for three-year-old male pacers. Trained and driven by Mike Micallef, Thatll Be The Rei’s current streak includes the Wolverine Futurity at Holland in late July. The son of Cheyenne Rei will start from post 4 in the 8th race.
The three-year-old gelding trotter Zeplin won just twice last year in nine starts but one of those efforts came in the MISS final. The son of Hard Rock N Roll has two wins again this year, one of which was a victory in the Michigan Breeders Futurity last time out on Aug. 19 at Hazel Park. Trained and driven by Kelly Goodwin, Zeplin will start from post 3 in the $40,077 final that is scheduled as Race 9.
The only race for two-year-olds on the pari-mutuel card is the $35,172 final for colt pacers. Scheduled as Race 2, the five-horse field includes Michigan Breeders Futurity winner Beastly, who will be driven by Brad Kramer from post 4, and Spartan Futurity winner Man The Torpedo, who will start from post 2 with driver Skip DeMull.
Admission and parking at Hazel Park are free. The track will also offer concession specials on Monday as well as live music.
(Hazel Park)