Michigan Juvenile Championships Preview

Division title up for grabs in Michigan Futurity

Hour By Hour can clinch his division's title with a victory in the Michigan Futurity at Pinnacle Race Course.

After Hour By Hour and Prince of Paulie swapped finishing positions in their two previous meetings, Michigan’s two-year-old male division was thrown into a stalemate.

The pair will face off against a full field of 12 in the one mile rubber match to decide the crop’s top runner in Saturday’s $50,000 Michigan Futurity at Pinnacle Race Course.

Hour By Hour got the best of his rival during their most recent meeting in the Oct. 3 Michigan Sires Juvenile at Pinnacle. The Elusive Hour colt took his usual front-running path to the finish in that race to prevail by three lengths. Hour By Hour is owned Valerie Irvine and Laura Jackson and is trained by James Jackson. Federico Mata will retain the mount following his win in the Sire Stakes.

Prince of Paulie staked his claim to the two-year-old male title in the Sept. 12 Patrick Wood Stakes at Pinnacle. The Meadow Prayer gelding followed up with a third place finish in the Sire Stakes, his most recent start. J.J. Delgado will ride Prince of Paulie for owner John Mack and trainer Richard Rettele.

Because Hour By Hour and Prince of Paulie both favor front-running styles, the two could find each other battling for the lead in the race’s early goings. If that happens, a horse who has shown some tactical speed could take advantage of the situation. Power of Titus moved up from well back to finish a length behind Prince of Paulie in the Patrick Wood and could benefit from the added distance. The Secret Romeo colt took a step back in the Sire Stakes, with a fifth place finish in his most recent start. He is owned and trained by Del Waite. Mike Roll will pick up the mount aboard Power of Titus.

#. Horse / Jockey / Trainer / Odds

1. Hour By Hour / F Mata / J R Jackson / 5-2
2. A Love Away / No Rider / R D Allen, Sr. / 30-1
3. Sahmmy Falls / G Laurente / S M Spiess / 20-1
4. Geta Ticket / A O Stanley / D Kueffner / 6-1
5. Terko Service / W A Barnett / R D Allen, Sr. / 30-1
6. Dream Victory / A A Marin / J R Jackson / 5-1
7. Ready To Tango / A Ortiz / L R Uelmen / 15-1
8. Power of Titus / M Roll / D D Waite / 10-1
9. Sunny Stripe / No Rider / R M Gorham / 20-1
10. Meadow Magic / J Skerrett / J R Jackson / 9-2
11. Prince of Paulie / J J Delgado / R J Rettele / 4-1
12. Wild Alex / J M Camejo / A Macias / 30-1

Stakes runners-up square off in Michigan Juvenile Fillies

Top Touch will shoot for her first stakes score in the Michigan Juvenile Fillies at Pinnacle Race Course.

With likely division champion Hustle Now taking a well-deserved break, the two horses who finished behind her in this year’s stakes races will take center stage in Saturday’s one mile $50,000 Michigan Juvenile Fillies at Pinnacle Race Course.

Top Touch never got a chance to redeem herself for her second place finish in Sept. 12 Sickle’s Image Stakes because she was not eligible for the Sire Stakes. In the Sickle’s Image, the Touch Gold filly battled down the stretch with Hustle Now and begrudgingly gave way as the wire approached. Top Touch is owned by Charlie Williams and trained by Sandra Adkins. Alexis Ortiz will be in the irons.

De La Crem was a mild surprise in the Oct. 3 Sire Stakes, with a runner-up finish at odds of 15.20-to-one. The Island Storm filly moved up from the middle of the pack to come within a length and a half of Hustle Now, but the leader’s closing kick was too much for the field to handle. Bob Gorham trains De La Crem for Mast Thoroughbreds LLC. Regular rider Jeffrey Skerrett will have the assignment.

Also entered is the only filly to have started in both her division’s stakes races this year, Fortune in Gold. The Secret Romeo filly comes off a late-gaining third place finish in the Sire Stakes. J.J. Delgado will ride Fortune in Gold for owner Steve Prain and trainer Dave Kueffner.

#. Horse / Jockey / Trainer / Odds

1. Electric Venus / A O Stanley / R R Russell / 8-1
2. Fortune in Gold / J J Delgado / D Kueffner / 4-1
3. Maximimi / F Mata / R M Gorham / 12-1
4. Itsabouttimeiz / A A Marin / D D Waite / 20-1
5. Top Touch / A Ortiz / S M Adkins / 7-5
6. De La Crem / J Skerrett / R M Gorham / 2-1

Michigan Breeders’ Championships Preview: Juveniles

Pinnacle Race Course hosts a big day of racing this Saturday, featuring four stakes races for the juvenile and older male and female divisions. This post will examine the days two-year-old contests, while the next one will break down the more experienced competitors.

Hustle Now leads Sickle’s Image Stakes field

Michigan’s two-year-old fillies will get their first chance to earn some blacktype in Saturday’s $50,000 Sickle’s Image Stakes at Pinnacle Race Course.

Five of the eight horses in the Sickle’s Image enter the six furlong race with a win under their belt. Among the winners, Hustle Now registered the highest Beyer Speed Figure in her maiden victory, earning a 47. The Creative Filly tallied the number in her most recent start, a five furlong Aug. 25 maiden special weight event at Pinnacle, where she prevailed by 3 1/2 lengths. Hustle Now is trained by Larry Uelmen for owner Sheffield Farms. Regular rider Angel Stanley will be in the irons.

Top Touch earned her first victory in a 4 1/2 furlong maiden special weight contest on July 28 at Pinnacle. The Touch Gold filly out-dueled her rivals in that effort and finished two lengths ahead at the wire. Top Touch is owned by Charlie Williams and trained by Sandra Adkins. Federico Mata will have the mount on Saturday.

Also entered is Fortune in Gold, whose maiden victory came in a five furlong Aug. 11 maiden special weight race at Pinnacle. In that race, Fortune in Gold led at every point of call on her way to a driving two length win. JJ Delgado will ride Fortune in Gold for owner Steve Prain and trainer Dave Kueffner.

#. Horse / Jockey / Trainer / Odds

1. Top Touch / F Mata / S M Adkins / 2-1
2. Creative Life / A Ortiz / J R Jackson / 6-1
3. Beija Fleur / J Skerrett / R M Gorham / 8-1
4. Run With Rachel / A A Marin / R J Rettele / 15-1
5. Q Ginger Snap / R Barrios / S M Adkins / 10-1
6. Fortune in Gold / J J Delgado / D Kueffner / 4-1
7. Hustle Now / A O Stanley / L R Uelmen / 5-2
8. Q Elegant Storm / G Laurente / J T White / 20-1

Prince of Paulie headlines Patrick Wood Stakes

Though all but one of the ten horses entered in the $50,000 Patrick Wood Stakes at Pinnacle Race Course have found the winner’s circle, none have had the opportunity to take their game to the next level and earn a stakes victory. That will change this Saturday when a full field enters the gates for the six furlong contest.

Prince of Paulie enters the Patrick Wood coming off the widest margin of victory in the field. The Meadow Prayer gelding shot to the lead in a 4 1/2 furlong maiden special weight race at Pinnacle on Aug. 4 and extended to a driving 6 1/4 length triumph. JJ Delgado will ride Prince of Paulie for owner John Mack and trainer Richard Rettele.

Power of Titus broke his maiden in a convincing fashion as well, having taken a July 21 maiden special race at Pinnacle by 3 1/4 lengths. The Secret Romeo colt enters the race off a fifth place finish in an Aug. 25 allowance race at Mountaineer. Power of Titus is owned and trained by Del Waite and will be ridden by Rick Knott.

Hour By Hour is one of three horses in the field to enter the Patrick Wood off a single start, all of whom were winners. The Elusive Hour colt got his maiden win out of the way quickly in a June 23 special weight event, which he won by 3/4 lengths. Hour by Hour is trained by James Jackson for owner Valerie Irvine. Angel Stanley picks up the mount.

#. Horse / Jockey / Trainer / Odds

1. Sahmmy Falls / F Mata / S M Spiess / 15-1
2. Prince of Paulie / J J Delgado / R J Rettele / 7-2
3. Meadow Magic / A A Marin / J R Jackson / 8-1
4. Hour by Hour / A O Stanley / J R Jackson / 6-1
5. Bentley Red / G Lagunes / D Cluley / 12-1
6. Power of Titus / R L Knott / D D Waite / 3-1
7. Call the Natives / L Frazzitta, Jr. / M A Barron / 10-1
8.Sunny Stripe / J Skerrett / R M Gorham / 12-1
9. Ready to Tango / R Barrios / L R Uelmen / 9-2
10. Dream Victory / A Ortiz / J R Jackson / 15-1