Defending champ Hot Jelly Jam looks tough

Hot Jelly Jam returns to defend her title when she faces five other fillies and mares in the $15,000 Bluegrass Stakes at the Lincoln State Fair.

Trainer Marv Johnson claimed Hot Jelly Jam for $4,000 at Delta Downs in March from Dan Coughlin. After a fourth-place finish against optional claiming company at Prairie Meadows, Hot Jelly Jam dueled her way to victory in tough allowance company locally May 16. Hot Jelly Jam runs well over this track and has scored 4 of her 17 wins here, including last year's edition of this race by more than five lengths. Jose Ranilla has the ride.

Hot Jelly Jam will have her work cut out here as she again faces Dazzling Seville, who came up just a neck short in the May 16 allowance race. The two raced head and head through the final quarter-mile of that race and could well put on the same show in this spot. Trainer Cheryl LeGrande will have Luis Ranilla aboard.

Dazzling Seville was a four-time winner last year, including the Columbus Matron and the Bill Callihan Stakes, both at Columbus.

Trainer Sean Foley will send out Shade On off a 17-1 upset over $10,000 claiming company May 9. Shade On was claimed by Foley for $5,000 toward the end of the Fonner Park meet and handled her first step up in class with a closing style that could be of benefit here.

Fancy Princess, trained by David Anderson, enters off a mid-level win at Fonner Park on May 1. She does her best running near the lead and should be part of a hot pace.