Scarlet Hour makes sophomore debut in Regret

Scarlet Hour, Michigan’s top juvenile female of last year, will make her 2015 debut Friday in the $20,000 Regret Stakes at Hazel Park Raceway.

The Elusive Hour filly will face four opponents in the six-furlong race restricted to Michigan-bred 3-year-old fillies. She defeated them all in her most recent start, a six-length win in the 2-year-old fillies division of the Michigan Sire Stakes last September at Hazel Park.

While Scarlet Hour is the race’s standout, her near-10-month absence might have given the rest of the field a chance to catch up. All four of her foes have raced well as sophomores, with three entering the race off wins and the fourth finishing second in a statebred allowance.

Key contenders

Scarlet Hour (Last 3 Beyers: 50-47-30)

* The undefeated filly has been headed at only one point of call in her three career starts, all at Hazel Park. She makes her first start at six furlongs Friday after posting a pair of wins at four furlongs and her Sire Stakes victory at 5 1/2 furlongs last year. Her smallest margin of victory was 3 3/4 lengths.

* Scarlet Hour’s final workout before the Regret came July 4 at Thistledown, where she breezed four furlongs in 48.40 seconds. T.D. Houghton will have the assignment aboard Scarlet Hour in Friday’s race for owner Laura Jackson and trainer James Jackson.

Trinity Revealed (Last 3 Beyers: 29-15-25)

* Trinity Revealed graduated in her most recent start, winning a six-furlong maiden special weight by three lengths June 19 at Hazel Park. It was a long-overdue victory after a pair of runner-up efforts and a third-place finish at shorter distances to start the year.

* The Equality filly is owned by Marion Gorham, trained by Robert Gorham, and will be ridden by Ricardo Barrios. Trinity Revealed is a full sister to the 2014 Michigan Horse of the Year Comeflywithanangel, who won the Larkspur Handicap at Hazel Park last Friday.

Valid Offer (Last 3 Beyers: 26-25-35)

* Valid Offer has won 2 of 3 starts as a sophomore since finishing behind Scarlet Hour in both her starts at age 2.

* The Valid Trefaire filly enters the Regret off a 5 3/4-length victory in a six-furlong allowance race June 26 at Hazel Park, defeating the runner-up Provocative Kiss, whom she will face again Friday. She also bested Regret entries Trinity Revealed and Elegant Trefaire in winning her maiden May 2. Valid Offer breezed four furlongs in 51 seconds July 4 at Hazel Park.

* Federico Mata once again will have the mount aboard Valid Offer for owner Lisa Campbell and trainer Ronald Allen Sr.