Lincoln: T Jays Affair back for Matchmaker

T Jays Affair makes a return a trip from her base at Prairie Meadows to head a field of eight older Nebraska-bred fillies and mares in the $15,000-added Matchmaker Stakes on Saturday afternoon at Lincoln Race Course.

Trained by Doug Anderson, T Jays Affair has been third in her last three starts, which have all come against stakes company here in the state. Her last start came here in the Bluegrass Stakes on May 28, when she was beaten 2 1/2 lengths by her stablemate Champangefortwo, an Arkansas-bred. T Jays Affair romped by eight lengths against second-level allowance company in her Nebraska debut this year at Fonner Park then started her streak of thirds against stakes competition. In Saturday’s race, she will stretch out to a mile while facing straight Nebraska-bred competition for only the second time in her career. T Jays Affair’s only other encounter against statebreds came in July 2010, when she captured the Fantango Lady Stakes against 3-year-olds.

The main competition to the top pick should be provided by the Shady Bend Thoroughbreds-owned sister duo of Sookie’s Kookies and Spice Swirl. Both Spice Swirl, a 5-year-old, and 4-year-old Sookie’s Kookies have posted stakes wins this year, and both have won going a mile before.

The Brian Roberts-trained pair will run as a coupled entry Saturday. Sookie’s Kookies captured the Runza Stakes at Fonner Park this April for her only win this year. Spice Swirl captured the Orphan Kist Stakes at Fonner Park in March and then was fifth to her sister in the Runza. Both gave subpar efforts in the Bluegrass Stakes in their last starts, but can be expected to show improvement this time around.