Equality foals dominate Michigan Sire Stakes

Equality, Michigan’s perennial leading stallion, was well represented Saturday on the Michigan Sire Stakes card at Hazel Park, with his foals winning three of the evening’s six stakes races.

The state’s marquee card featured a sextet of stakes restricted to Michigan-sired runners with male and female divisions for juveniles, 3-year-olds, and older runners and estimated purses of $40,000 each.

Leading the way was a pair of full sisters, Trinity Revealed and Comeflywithanangel, who won the 3-year-old female and older female divisions, respectively.

Both daughters of Equality were bred in Michigan by Guy and Deb Russell and are out of the winning Rehaan mare C R Emmaus Road, who was purchased by the Russells for less than $300 at the low-rent Shipshewana horse auction in Indiana. The mare also had Power of Titus, who won Michigan Sire Stakes races in 2012 and 2013.

Jockey Ricardo Barrios rode both winners Saturday for trainer Bob Gorham.

Trinity Revealed reeled in the pacesetter Ante My Annie to take the sophomore fillies division by 1 1/4 lengths, with the runner-up finishing three-quarters of a length better than Valid Offer. The filly completed the six-furlong race in 1:16.71 and paid $6 to win. She is owned by Marion Gorham.

Comeflywithanangel won her second consecutive edition of the older females Sire Stakes with a somewhat-erratic trip, making her usual midpack move at the top of the stretch but veering out to the middle of the track as the wire approached. She held off a rail-skimming More Red Roses by a neck, and Synfull Tale finished a neck behind the runner-up. Owned by Antonio Flores, Comeflywithanangel finished the 1 1/8-mile race in 1:59.32 and paid $6.60 to win.

Equality’s third winner on the night was Runnin Fun, who broke from the rail, led at every point of call, and drew off in the stretch to win the 3-year-old males division by six lengths under jockey Alvaro Hernandez-Lopez. Equal Guard finished a neck ahead of Bounce Back for second. Homebred in Michigan by James Griffin and trained by Richard Rettele, Runnin Fun completed the six-furlong race in 1:16.86, paying $3.60.

Equality, a 16-year-old son of Mt. Livermore, stands at Dickinson Farm in Montgomery, Mich. He has sired eight winners of 11 Michigan Sire Stakes races.
Michigan’s depleted foal crop was made apparent in the 2-year-old males division, in which a field of five first-time starters was scratched down to three.

Gun Powder, a Gun Power colt, led at all points and pulled away from the runner-up Couldnt Wait to win by 6 1/4 lengths. Synclines Trip finished third by another 6 1/4 lengths. The winner paid $3.40 and finished the four-furlong race in 48.18.

Gun Powder was homebred in Michigan by Lisa Campbell and is trained by Ronald Allen Sr. T.D. Houghton was the winning rider. The colt is out of the four-time Michigan Sire Stakes winner Valley Loot, who also was campaigned by Campbell.

High Legend further established herself as Michigan’s top juvenile female, leading gate to wire for a 2 1/2-length win over a debuting Queen Kitten. Haley Power finished 13 1/2 lengths behind Queen Kitten for third. High Legend paid $2.40 in her winning effort, completing the four-furlong race in 47.52 seconds. Jeffrey Skerret rode the Elusive Hour filly for owner-breeder Elkhorn Oaks Inc. and trainer James Jackson.

The biggest upset of the Michigan Sire Stakes came in the older males division, in which Notch disposed of early rival Obsessionsoptimist and held off a tenacious Boo Dutton to win by three-quarters of a length. Boo Dutton finished 1 3/4 lengths better than the third-place Al’s Prayer. Hernandez-Lopez earned another Michigan Sire Stakes win aboard Notch, who completed the 1 1/8-mile race in 1:57.42 and paid $16.40. Denis Cluley owns and trains the Indiana-bred son of Sky Approval and co-bred him with Cathie Cluley.