Court's Ruling aims to keep perfect local record in Lansing

The well-traveled Court’s Ruling will make a return visit to Hazel Park Raceway on Saturday to enter the gate for the $20,000 Lansing Stakes.

The six-furlong race is restricted to Michigan-bred 3-year-old colts and geldings, many of whom have seen plenty of each other over the past two years.

Three of the field’s six horses contested last year’s juvenile males division of the Michigan Sire Stakes in September, and five of the six met in a $20,000 statebred allowance race earlier that month.

Court’s Ruling won the allowance by a dominant 4 3/4 lengths, but the son of Closing Argument was ineligible for the Sire Stakes, not being Michigan-sired. The stakes race was won by Equal Guard, a late-driving neck better than fellow Lansing Stakes entry Victory in Motion.

Key Contenders

Court’s Ruling (Last 3 Beyers: 73-41-56)

* Court’s Ruling has yet to race at the same track in two consecutive starts, most recently finishing second by a neck in a one-mile allowance June 24 at Mountaineer. The colt has won both his starts at Hazel Park, most recently winning a 5 1/2-furlong allowance May 22 by 2 1/4 lengths.

* James Jackson trains Court’s Ruling for owner Elkhorn Oaks Inc. T.D. Houghton will ride the colt for the first time in 2015 after winning together in a Hazel Park allowance last September.

Kiki’s War (Last 3 Beyers: 62-60-48)

* Owned and trained by Ronald Allen Sr., the War Image colt enters the Lansing off two consecutive wins at Thistledown – a 5 3/4-length maiden special weight score June 1 and a half-length allowance victory June 24. He defeated Lansing Stakes rival Runnin Fun in his most recent start, which was his first at six furlongs.

* Kiki’s War has raced once at Hazel Park, finishing third to Court’s Ruling in his debut last September.

* Federico Mata will have the assignment aboard Kiki’s War for the first time Saturday.

Equal Guard (Last 3 Beyers: 40-19-33)

* The winner of last year’s 2-year-old males division of the Sire Stakes, Equal Guard began his sophomore campaign with a pair of 5 1/2-furlong allowances at Hazel Park, finishing second by a neck May 9 and winning by 1 1/4 lengths May 30. He was sent to Belterra Park for his most recent start, in which he finished fifth in his first try at 6 1/2 furlongs June 19.

* Ricardo Barrios will have the mount aboard the Equality colt for owner Mast Thoroughbreds and trainer Robert Gorham.