by Kimberly French, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Kimberly French

Louisville, KY — Neither one is going into their respective races as a heavy favorite but the connections of Miss Steele and E L Rocket figured their horses were doing well and why not provide them with an opportunity to see what they can do?

“She’s definitely not Bee A Magician, she’s a standout, but she’s done well in the Sire Stakes,” said trainer Julie Miller about Miss Steele’s presence in the first Hambletonian Oaks elimination on Saturday (July 27). “We drew into the tougher division, but we are going to give it a try.”

Andy and Julie Miller have had Miss Steele in their barn since she was a baby. The daughter of Muscles Yankee and Edith’s Chip is owned by the Andy Miller Stable, Omer Miller and Mkatz Alibfeld Sgoldband. She was purchased for $22,000 at the 2011 Lexington Selected Sale and is a full sister to Apecs (3,1:56.2, $171,541) and a half-sister to Wingbat (Windsong’s Legacy, 1:53.3f, $97,543). For her career, Miss Steele, who went through the sales ring as Mall In The Family, has trotted 22 miles with two wins, six seconds and six thirds.

Lisa photo

Miss Steele lowered her mark to 1:53.4 in a Simpson Memorial split on May 10 at Meadowlands Racetrack.

She has earned $170,260 in purse money and has a lifetime mark of 1:53.4 established at the Meadowlands on May 10 in a $24,758 John Simpson Memorial division. Miss Steele also picked up the second place check in the $150,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes final on June 1. As a 2-year-old she was fourth in the $354,450 Merrie Annabelle final and third in the $202,500 Kindergarten final.

For Saturday’s contest, Miss Steele will leave from the three hole and must contend with Bee A Magician, Fashion Athena and Frau Blucher. Andy Miller will be holding the lines.

“She’s a nice filly and she’s great to have around the barn,” Julie Miller said. “She’s an absolute pleasure to be around, but we don’t have any illusions about Bee A Magician. We’ll see what she can do and she always tries hard every time.”

Burke Racing Stable, M1 Stable, Howard Taylor and Phillip Collura purchased E L Rocket on June 10. Since the ownership change (he was previously owned by his breeder, Erkki Laakkonen) the son of Credit Winner and Courtney Hall has reeled off four consecutive victories.

The first two were $15,000 conditioned events at the Meadowlands, than an $88,314 New York Sire Stakes contest at Yonkers Raceway on July 1 and a $43,525 Sire Stakes race at Vernon Downs on July 13.

Mike Lizzi photo

E L Rocket has won four straight races since entering the Ron Burke Stable.

E L Rocket’s career line stands at 11-6-1-2 with $101,172 in the bank and a lifetime mark of 1:53.1s set in his last start. The colt, who only competed in two conditioned events at age 2 with one victory, is a half-brother to E L Rock (Yankee Glide, 4,1:53.4f, $237,585) and Appomattox (Yankee Glide, 3,1:52.2, $335,401).

His next appearance will be on Saturday (July 27) in a $25,000 3-year-old Open (Hambletonian eligibles preferred) race. He leaves from the pole in what is the third race on the card. Conditioned by Ron Burke, E L Rocket will have Yannick Gingras in the sulky.

“We made a shoeing change with him,” Burke said. “I think the biggest thing with him, was getting him on a faster, bigger track to let him stretch his legs out a bit and reach his potential. He is a classically gaited trotter so he really has no reason not to be a very good horse.”

If E L Rocket trots well in his next race he will head to the $1.2 million Hambletonian on August 3.

“For us it’s an incredible shot,” Burke said. “We don’t get to train top of the line trotting yearlings, so for us to get the opportunity to have the shot at the Hambletonian is a big deal. It’s not something that happens all the time for us and we want to take advantage of the opportunity.”