Moving Style eyes three-peat in Michigan Breeders Governor’s Cup Stakes

Defending Michigan horse of the year Moving Style has raced just twice at Hazel Park, and both efforts were wins in the Michigan Breeders Governor’s Cup Stakes.

Moving Style will be the probable favorite to extend both streaks Saturday in the $20,000 six-furlong race as part of a full field of 10 Michigan-bred older males.

The 7-year-old son of Meadow Prayer spent the first half of the year in Ohio, finishing on the board in all seven of his starts at Mahoning Valley and Thistledown. He most recently ran second by three-quarters of a length in a Thistledown starter allowance June 20, following an optional-claiming win at the same track May 30.

Moving Style was on the lead at every point of call in last year’s Michigan Breeders Governor’s Cup and widened to a 4 1/2-length victory. His margin of victory was slimmer in 2014, rallying from the outside to hang on by a half-length.

Shane Spiess trains Moving Style for his father, Merrill Spiess. Angel Stanley, who was aboard for last year’s renewal, retains the mount.

The race will be the first stakes test in the handicap division for Runnin Fun, last year’s Michigan-bred 3-year-old male of the year.

The Equality gelding won two of three starts at Hazel Park last year, taking the sophomore males division of the Michigan Sire Stakes and the Lansing Stakes, with his lone defeat coming by a neck. The early speed-favoring Runnin Fun has been competing in the optional-claiming ranks at Thistledown, last finishing fourth at six furlongs June 25.

Runnin Fun finished seventh in his seasonal debut – and his first clash with Moving Style – in a May 30 optional claimer.

Regular rider Alvaro Hernandez-Lopez has the assignment aboard Runnin Fun and will make his first riding appearance of the 2016 Hazel Park meet for owner James Griffin and trainer Richard Rettele.

Michigan handicap stalwart Boo Dutton, a 9-year-old son of Equality, enters off a 3 1/2-length win in a Hazel Park optional claimer June 24. Regular rider Eric Edwards retains the mount on the gelding who has finished second in the last two editions of the Sire Stakes’ older males division.

Jason Uelmen trains Boo Dutton for owner Kala Crampton.