Rookie trotters contest Michigan Championship elims

HASTINGS, Mich. — The stage is set for next week’s rich Michigan Championship harness racing card at the Barry Expo Center, in Hastings, Mich., after the eliminations for both of the 2-year-old trotting divisions were contested on Tuesday (Aug. 27) at the same venue.

Libbys Lucky Lady (Musclesprinctonian-Stickum Vicky) became the fastest 2-year-old trotting filly ever at Hastings when she defeated A Gal Named Jane by 19-1/2 lengths with a pillar-to-post 2:02.4 performance in her $10,441 elimination. Trainer-driver Tim Roach co-owns the five-time winner with Kyle Larner and Ron Van Wagoner.

Capella Star (Big Rigs-Dreamy Secret) captured the other $10,441 elimination for fillies, defeating Betsy Lou by 7-1/4 lengths in 2:05.1. Lavern Miller owns, trains, and drove the filly to her fourth career win.

Chip Of The South (Bourbon Chip-Belle Of The South) was the dominant force among rookie male trotters, winning in 2:05.1 and delivering a 15-1/4-length drubbing to Ripn Hero in his $10,280 elimination. Brad Kramer picked up the drive on the gelding, who has now won three of his nine career starts for trainer Monica Krist and the partnership of Teresa Marotta, Rick Dobson and Melissa Kesler.

New Plan Stan (Musclesprinctonian-Vegas Sunset) extended his undefeated record to six-for-six in the $10,280 first elimination, turning aside a sustained bid from Amtrac to win by 2-1/2 lengths in 2:07. Trainer-driver Greg Bateson co-owns the gelding with Ernest Ayers.

The top four finishers from each elimination qualified for the Michigan Championship finals, to be held next Tuesday (Sept. 3). The fields, in alphabetical order, are as follows:

2-Year-Old Filly Trot

A Gal Named Jane

Betsy Lou

Capella Star *

Girly Muscles

Keepurhandstourslf

Libbys Lucky Lady *

Ruth Langmore

What The Fluff

2-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Trot

Amtrac

Bandsrompawaykid

Chip Of The South *

Creed

Deadly Sting

New Plan Stan *

Paragon Magicway

Ripn Hero

Neither of the 2-year-old pacing divisions nor any of the 3-year-old events required eliminations.

To watch replays from Tuesday’s program, click here.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

From the Michigan Harness Horsemen’s Association