Miss Missile tops Callihan

Miss Missile makes her return to Nebraska when she heads a field of nine in the $10,000 Bill Callihan Stakes for fillies and mares going 6 1/2 furlongs at Columbus.

A two-time stakes winner at Fonner Park this spring, Miss Missile has since won at both Assiniboia Downs in Canada and Canterbury Park in a light campaign of six starts. Miss Missile is a career earner of $384,723, with a mark of 14-1-3 from 29 starts. Her two Nebraska wins this year came in the Bold Accent and the Al Swihart Memorial Stakes at Fonner Park in her first starts of the year. Her last two starts at Canterbury came against male allowance company, where she won going 3 1/2 furlongs and then faded in the stretch going five furlongs on turf after vying for the lead.

Lady Countdown, a 3-year-old, has put together a 3-3-1 mark from 9 starts this year, including a stakes win at Assiniboia. Damon Leeds has been named to ride both Miss Missile and Lady Countdown, with Lady Countdown expected to scratch.

Ordway Falls Nlove, trained by Terrell Hemmer, should provide a challenge to Miss Missile on the pace of this race. Winner of the Bluegrass Stakes at Lincoln this summer, Ordway Falls Nlove most recently ran against $5,000 starter company where she opened a commanding eight-length lead after a half-mile but was caught in the closing sixteenth-mile to finish second. Chris Fackler has the return mount.

Queensport rallied to defeat Ordway Falls Nlove in that starter allowance and has been facing higher claiming and allowance company this year. A hot pace to run at should be provided, and Queensport should be rolling late under Jesus Ponce.