Top filly, top mare meet again

MUSKEGON, Mich. - Born to Dance, the reigning Michigan horse of the year, will face Sefas Rose, who handed her her lone defeat at Great Lakes Downs, and seven other Michigan-bred fillies and mares in the $45,000 Moonbeam Handicap Monday. The Moonbeam, at 1 1/16 miles, is carded as the fourth of nine races.

Sefas Rose, who is owned by Farid and Joan Sefa, won the Larkspur Handicap on May 24 here, defeating Born to Dance and four other of her Moonbeam rivals. Since the Moonbeam, she has finished second in allowance company at Thistledown and Ellis Park.

Trained by Brenda Hill, the5-year-old Sefas Rose will be ridden by leading rider Terry Houghton and will carry top weight of 122 pounds from post 6.

The 3-year-old Born to Dance was undefeated as a juvenile here and is 2 for 3 this meet. She won the Regret and the Plymouth Stakes after she was beaten four lengths by Sefas Rose in the Larkspur Handicap, her only race against older fillies and mares.

Owned by Rosendo Parra and trained by James Jackson, Born to Dance will be ridden by Freddie Mata at 120 pounds. Born to Dance breaks from post 7, just outside of Sefas Rose.

Completing the field, from the rail out, are Tank Grrrl, Tommy Molina the rider, 119 pounds; Empress Livia, Joe Judice, 115; Double Hat Trick, James Schwartz, 115; I Match Too, Roberto Perez, 118; Destinys Draw, Luis Martinez, 112; Emmies Esperanza, Rafael Estrella, 115; and Sweetwater Promise, Mata with a second call, 112. Born to Dance and Sweetwater Promise are coupled due to common ownership.