High Legend tops Regret Stakes

From the first break of the gate, the fillies of Michigan’s 2013 foal crop have all been chasing High Legend. The state’s defending 2-year-old filly of the year, High Legend will face her first stakes test as a sophomore on Friday in the $20,000 Regret Stakes at Hazel Park.

High Legend, a daughter of Elusive Hour, headlines a field of five in the six-furlong race for 3-year-old Michigan-bred fillies. She is undefeated in three starts at Hazel Park, and beat three of the horses she will face on Friday in last year’s juvenile fillies division of the Michigan Sire Stakes.

Owned by Elkhorn Oaks Inc. and trained by James Jackson, High Legend most recently finished fifth in an optional claimer at Churchill Downs on June 18. She set the pace and remained in contention until the final furlong. She defeated older company at Hazel Park in a June 3 allowance two starts back, getting the lead early in the four-furlong race and stretching out to win by 8 1/2 lengths.

Jeffrey Skerrett will have the mount aboard High Legend, reuniting with the filly after being aboard for her first two starts, both wins at Hazel Park. High Legend has led at every point of call in her three races at the Detroit-area track.

The most likely challenger is Pink Pajamas who comes into Friday’s race off a 4 1/2-length score going 5 1/2 furlongs in a June 17 allowance at Hazel Park.

An Equality filly, Pink Pajamas has spent most of her time racing in Ohio for owner Mast Thoroughbreds and trainer Robert Gorham, with her last start there a runner-up effort in a six-furlong Thistledown allowance on May 20. The 58 Beyer Speed Figure she earned for that race is the highest registered by anyone in the Regret field. T.D. Houghton will retain the mount.

Haley Power finished second to Pink Pajamas on June 17, and entered that race off a maiden-breaking score in a 5 1/2-furlong race on June 11 at Hazel Park. Ricardo Barrios will ride Haley Power, a Gun Power filly, for owner Lisa Campbell and trainer Ronald Allen Sr.