Six Michigan Sire Stakes set for Saturday

Hazel Park Raceway on Saturday will present its marquee card of 2016, featuring the six races of the Michigan Sire Stakes.

The $40,000 races are restricted to Michigan-sired runners foaled in any state and are run in divisions for juveniles, 3-year-olds, and older horses for both genders. Though the purses have swooned with Michigan’s struggles over the past decade, the Sire Stakes has been the linchpin of the state’s racing calendar since it was introduced at Detroit Race Course in 1985.

Sophomore fillies start the sequence, going a mile and 70 yards. The division has been dominated by Pink Pajamas, an Equality filly who is 4 for 4 at Hazel Park this year, most recently winning the 6 1/2-furlong Sire Stakes prep allowance Aug. 19 by 10 lengths. Earlier this year, Pink Pajamas won the Regret Stakes for Michigan-bred 3-year-old fillies by 12 1/4 lengths.

Regular rider T.D. Houghton retains the mount aboard Pink Pajamas for owner Mast Thoroughbreds and trainer Robert Gorham.

The division for older fillies and mares follows, carded at 1 1/8 miles. Trinity Revealed will attempt to follow full sister Comeflywithanangel, who won the past two editions of this race before her retirement.

The Equality filly enters off a pair of uncharacteristically lackluster efforts, most recently a fifth-place finish in an Aug. 20 allowance, after winning five in a row at the Detroit-area oval, including last year’s Sire Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. Houghton has the riding assignment for owner Marion Gorham and trainer Robert Gorham.

A pair of juvenile races follow, each at 5 1/2 furlongs.

In the males’ division, Federico Mata has the mount aboard the debuting Mr. Tee Sir for owner George Fiesman and trainer Ronald Allen Sr. The Gun Power colt most recently breezed five furlongs in 1:04.80 at Hazel Park on Aug. 27.

The fillies’ division is led by Poof Its Magic, who upset a four-furlong allowance Aug. 19 by 2 1/4 lengths. The Zulu Magic filly is owned by Jenny Barbeau, trained by Reid Gross, and will be ridden by Wayne Barnett.

The grizzled veteran Meadow Wise will seek his third win in the Sire Stakes division for older males. The 10-year-old Meadow Prayer gelding enters off a fourth-place effort in a six-furlong Michigan-bred claiming race Aug. 13 but has won twice in five starts at the 1 1/8-mile distance. Ricardo Barrios will ride Meadow Wise for the Gorham team.

Syncline’s Trip brings a four-race winning streak into the division for 3-year-old males, having most recently taken an Aug. 20 allowance by a wide-running 2 1/2 lengths. Earlier in the meet, he won the six-furlong Lansing Stakes by 5 1/4 lengths, then defeated older statebred competition in his next two starts.

Barrios will have the mount in the race at one mile and 70 yards for Allen, who owns and trains the Syncline gelding.