Two of Indiana's best young fillies square off

It will be a battle of the best of this season against the best of last season Friday night when seven Indiana-bred 3-year-old fillies contest the $70,000 Ellen's Lucky Star, a six-furlong race at Indiana Downs.

Cheer for Me Girls is 3 for 3 this year. Running Bride was unbeaten in three starts last year.

Cheer for Me Girls has won her three races by a combined 8 3/4 lengths, all coming from just off the pace against statebreds over the Indiana Downs main track.

"She is a dream come true," said trainer and part-owner George Leonard. "She has done everything we have asked of her and then some. She has dealt with adversity and troubled trips. I couldn't be more impressed."

Cheer for Me Girls worked four furlongs in 47.20 last Saturday, the second fastest of 18 works at the distance.

"She worked like a champ. She couldn't be doing any better," Leonard said.

Rex Stokes III retains the mount.

As a 2-year-old last season, Running Bride won her three races by a combined margin of 18 1/4 lengths. Two of the those wins were in Indiana-bred stakes.

In her only start this year May 14, Running Bride finished second locally, beaten three-quarters of a length in a third-level allowance.

Rodney Prescott will get a leg up from trainer Eddie Keneally.