After a gate to wire victory in the June 26 Lansing Stakes, Hour By Hour will try to continue his run of success in Saturday’s $20,000 Dowling Stakes at Pinnacle Race Course.
Hour By Hour will face eight foes in the Dowling, including several rivals from the Lansing. Last year’s installment of the one mile race for Michigan-bred three-year-olds was won by Meadow Wise.
For the second straight year, the purse for the Dowling has been decreased from its regular size of $50,000 to cover the cost of regulation from the Michigan Gaming Control Board.
Hour By Hour pulled away in the Lansing to win by 2 3/4 lengths with a front-running trip. The Elusive Hour colt earned a share of last year’s Michigan-bred two-year-old male title following a score in his division of the Sire Stakes at Pinnacle last October. Saturday’s race will be Hour By Hour’s first start longer than six furlongs since missing the board in last October’s Michigan Futurity at Pinnacle. James Jackson will saddle Hour By Hour for owners Valerie Irvine and Laura Jackson. Regular rider Federico Mata retains the assignment in the saddle. Hour By Hour will share the entry with Meadow Magic, ridden by Ricardo Barrios and owned by Laura Jackson and Red Riding Hood Stables LLC.
Secrets Only earned a runner-up finish to Hour By Hour in the Lansing, after trailing him in second for the entire race. The Secret Romeo gelding enters the Dowling off a pair of second place finishes at Pinnacle to Hour By Hour and Meadow Magic. Trainer Bob Gorham will give Jeffrey Skerrett the leg up for owner Mast Thoroughbreds, LLC. Secrets Only will be part of a two-horse Gorham/Mast entry in the Dowling along with Watchin The Vix, who will be ridden by Tommy Molina.
After finishing fourth in the Lansing, Power Of Titus shipped down to Mountaineer Park and finished second in a July 16 allowance race. The Secret Romeo gelding also finished second in last September’s Patrick Wood Stakes at Pinnacle. Alexis Ortiz will have the mount for owner and trainer Del Waite.
#. Horse / Jockey / Trainer / Odds
1. Meadow Magic / R Barrios / J R Jackson / 9-5
1A. Hour By Hour / F Mata / J R Jackson / 9-5
2. Watchin The Vix / T Molina / R M Gorham / 2-1
2B. Secrets Only / J Skerrett / R M Gorham / 2-1
3. Prince Of Paulie / J J Delgado / R J Rettele / 6-1
4. Mission Achieved / J E Collazo, Jr. / R D Allen, Sr. / 15-1
5. Power Of Titus / A Ortiz / D D Waite / 5-1
6. Generalyitsamemory / C Garcia / D Cluley / 10-1
7. Ready To Tango / O Bernal / L R Uelmen / 12-1
The Michigan-Bred Claimer 