'Ellens' simply looks too good

ANDERSON, Ind. - Ellens Lucky Star has been nearly perfect in her career at Hoosier Park, and Saturday should prove no exception as she defends her title against nine other Indiana-bred fillies and mares in the $40,000 Merrillville Stakes at six furlongs.

Owned by Royal Ten Racing and trained by Greg Foley, Ellens Lucky Star has rolled up a mark of 5-1-0 from 6 starts over Hoosier's seven-furlong surface. A 5-year-old daughter of Crown Ambassador, Ellens Lucky Star has a career mark of 9-2-3 from 17 starts, good for over $190,000 in earnings. This year she has 4 wins from 6 starts, including victories in the Florence Henderson and Shelby County stakes at Indiana Downs this spring.

Ellens Lucky Star romped in the Richmond Stakes at a 1 1/16 miles here on Oct. 2, winning by 9 3/4 lengths, and is in position to score a similar victory here. She'll have the services of the nation's leading rider in races won, Rafael Bejarano, when she breaks from post 2.

One Eyed Jackie may qualify for the distinction of second-best Indiana-bred mare going right now. She's finished second behind Ellens Lucky Star in three of their four meetings and almost always gives a good account of herself. One Eyed Jackie owns a career mark of 5-7-7 from 39 starts, good for just over $123,000 in earnings. Trained by Calvin Prescott, One Eyed Jackie will be ridden by Tommy Pompell from post 6.

Three-year-old Speedy Tiffany, a winner of six races this year, has two allowance wins this meet over older. Trained by Steve Duncan, Speedy Tiffany was third in the Florence Henderson and captured the First Lady Stakes at Indiana Downs. Rodney Prescott will ride from post 1.