Two keen rivals rematched in Michigan BC

MUSKEGON, Mich. - Exclusivenjoyment and Rockem Sockem, who ran off and hid from their competition in an allowance race two weeks ago, face eight rivals in Tuesday's 39th running of the Michigan Breeders' Cup at Great Lakes Downs.

The $50,000 Breeders' Cup, a 1 1/16-mile race restricted to Michigan-breds, ages 3 and up, goes as race 5 on a nine-race card that begins at 5 p.m. Eastern.

Exclusivenjoyment dueled with Rockem Sockem throughout their mile meeting last time. Exclusivenjoyment held on by a head over Rockem Sockem, last year's horse of the year at Great Lakes. They set relatively slow fractions before getting down to business in the late running, beating the rest of the field by 14 lengths.

Rockem Sockem, who shares high weight of 120 pounds with the consistent Above the Wind, gets the services of regular rider Terry Houghton. Rockem Sockem won this race in 2004 by more than 11 lengths. He captured this year's Wolverine Stakes on June 20.

Mary Doser has the mount on Exclusivenjoyment for trainer Richard Rettele. At 118 pounds, Exclusivenjoyment will be looking for his first stakes win since last year's Michigan Sire Stakes 3-year-old division.

Above the Wind, trained by Ronnie Allen, was third in the Wolverine to Rockem Sockem. Freddie Mata gets the call, as usual, on Above the Wind, who has won 12 of 33 starts at Great Lakes.

The 4-year-old Jaguar Joe, claimed for $16,000 by trainer James Jackson two races ago, stretches out for the third start of his current form cycle. Last year, Jaguar Joe won a mile race at Hoosier Park with a career-best 94 Beyer Speed Figure, a number that would make him a serious contender here.

Dorthys Champ tries a longer distance after a front-running 12 1/2-length romp going 6 1/2 furlongs. In three route races against stakes company as a 3-year-old last season, Dorthys Champ showed high early speed and tired badly.