Thistledown: Beatmichiganagain

NORTH RANDALL, Ohio - Beatmichiganagain made it back-to-back stakes victories when she slipped through along the rail at the three-sixteenths pole and drew off to a driving two-length tally over Belle of Liberty in the $50,000, 1 1/16-mile Merry Time Stakes here Saturday afternoon. Ms.Quimet finished third three-quarters of a length farther back in the field of 11 Ohio-bred females.

Beatmichiganagain, a 4-year-old owned and bred by Swifty Farms and Larry Smallwood, appears to have made it all the way back from an injury that caused her to miss almost two years of racing. She received a masterful ride from William Troilo, who waited patiently along the rail while being pinned down until early stretch. Troilo shook up his mount right-handed and she came through to make the lead and draw off,getting the distance 1:44.98 over a fast racing surface. She returned $11.60 to win.

Belle of Liberty turned in a very game effort setting the pace and held on stubbornly for second. Ms. Quimet was with the pace all the way while hung three-wide and finished with good courage.