Stablemates strong in Michael G. Mackey Memorial Angenora Stakes

The $75,000 Michael G. Mackey Memorial Angenora Stakes on Saturday at Thistledown has drawn a field of just five. But what the six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares lacks in quantity, it makes up for in parity, and the field includes three stakes winners.

Owner Ron Paolucci and trainer Jeff Radosevich bring a strong duo to the race in stakes winners Proper Discretion and Southern Mischief.

Proper Discretion has won 14 of her 32 starts, including five stakes, and would push her earnings past $500,000 with a victory. Last year, Proper Discretion won the J. William Petro Memorial Handicap and earned a repeat win in the Scarlet and Gray Handicap, both at Thistledown. She spent the winter competing in open-company stakes at Gulfstream Park and Oaklawn Park. She got back in the groove by returning to her home state to romp by 8 1/2 lengths in an allowance on April 29 at Thistledown.

Southern Mischief won four straight races to conclude her 2017 campaign, including the First Lady Stakes at Mahoning Valley. She won just once from seven starts in 2018 and was unplaced in three stakes outings. Following a seven-month winter break, she got back in the win column with an allowance score on May 11 at Thistledown.

Six-time stakes winner True Cinder is the defending winner of the Mackey Memorial. Owned and trained by Mike Rone, True Cinder most recently finished second in the Dr. T.F. Classen Memorial Stakes, beaten a half-length by Leona’s Reward, one of the top mares in the state.

Ali Blue recorded two stakes placings last year. My Belle Michelle has won two of her four outings this season, but those came in claiming races, and she is the only horse in this field stepping into stakes company for the first time.