by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — Win Missy B brings a four-race win streak to her $109,100 Bluegrass Stakes division for 2-year-old filly trotters on Thursday (September 29) at the Red Mile in Lexington, where she will see a familiar rival.

Starting next to Win Missy B will be Check Me Out. Win Missy B defeated Check Me Out in the $455,940 Peaceful Way Stakes at Mohawk Racetrack on September 17, one week after handing Check Me Out the first loss of her career in their Peaceful Way elimination.

In July, Check Me Out won an elimination for the Merrie Annabelle at the Meadowlands, with Win Missy B finishing seventh after going off stride. Check Me Out captured the $333,200 final the following weekend.

Check Me Out, trained by Ray Schnittker, is the leading money-winning 2-year-old trotter in North America, with $413,457, and has won eight of 10 races. Win Missy B, trained by Charlie Norris, is second among fillies, with $314,900, and has won five of eight starts.

They will see each other in the first of three Bluegrass divisions.

“For my sake and Ray’s sake, we wish they wouldn’t have drawn in together,” Norris said with a chuckle. “We’re both confident in our horses. They’re both really nice mares. It should make it a good race. Hopefully, we can come out on top.”

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Win Missy B was a 1:53.3 winner in the $455,940 Peaceful Way Stakes at Mohawk Racetrack on September 17.

Bred and owned by Bob Key, Win Missy B is a daughter of Conway Hall-Winning Missbrenda. She is a half-sister to top open trotter Winning Mister and her family also includes Britelite Lobell, the 1985 Dan Patch Award winner for best 2-year-old filly trotter, and Hambletonian winners Blaze Hanover (1960), Shirley Hanover (1937) and Hanover’s Bertha (1930).

“Her mother was OK; she made a little bit of money at (age) 3,” said Norris, who is four wins from reaching 2,000 as a driver and 22 victories from 1,000 as a trainer. “I had her. She never had quite as much speed as her offspring, but it looks like she’s becoming a decent broodmare.”

Win Missy B started her career with a fourth-place finish in a division of the Reynolds Stakes at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. She was second in a division of the Tompkins-Geers at Tioga Downs before getting her first win at the Meadowlands in a race for Merrie Annabelle eligible preferred fillies.

In her Merrie Annabelle elim, she encountered traffic trouble, which led to her going off stride.

“She’s been good all year,” Norris said. “She did everything right all winter. We had to change her rigging a couple times, but other than that she’s OK. She’s just a little green.”

Prior to the Peaceful Way, Win Missy B won a $105,000 division of the Kentuckiana Stallion Management Stakes in 1:56.1 at Indiana Downs, setting the track record for 2-year-old filly trotters.

“That was a huge mile she trotted in Indiana,” Norris said. “It’s really hard to fault her. She loves doing her business and she’s always happy. She’s a good horse. That really helps. It makes everyone around her look good.”

Following are the fields in post position order for the Bluegrass Stakes for 2-year-old filly trotters.

Division One: 1. Flower Bouquet, David Miller, Erv Miller; 2. Sterling Volo, Jan Johnson, Johnson; 3. Check Me Out, Tim Tetrick, Ray Schnittker; 4. Win Missy B, Brian Sears, Charlie Norris; 5. Lady Andi, Sears, Larry Rathbone; 6. Can’t Have My Moni, Tetrick, Frank Antonacci; 7. Temple Blue Chip, Sears, Trond Smedshammer; 8. Exercise To Go, David Miller, Jonas Czernyson; 9. Celebrity Lovin, Brett Miller, Staffan Lind; 10. Personal Style, David Miller, R. “Nifty” Norman.

Division Two: 1. Anandamide, Tim Tetrick, Anette Lorentzon; 2. She Wears It Well, Ron Pierce, Noel Daley; 3. Can’t Be Seduced, Brian Sears, Trond Smedshammer; 4. All In The Muscles, Andy Miller, Julie Miller; 5. Real Babe, Ray Schnittker, Schnittker; 6. On The Bright Side, Dave Palone, Jimmy Takter; 7. D’orsay, Yannick Gingras, Jonas Czernyson; 8. Xquisite Chocolate, Sears, Paul Kelley; 9. Canadian Justice, Peter Wrenn, C. Kevin Thomas.

Division Three: 1. Adreamcomestrue As, Yannick Gingras, Anette Lorentzon; 2. Southwind Moni, John Campbell, Scott Andrews; 3. Voluptuous Ronda, Dave Palone, Thomas Haughton; 4. Kissnmakup Hanover, Ron Pierce, Noel Daley; 5. Chilitodayhotamale, Trond Smedshammer, Smedshammer; 6. Maven, Yannick Gingras, Jonas Czernyson; 7. Angel Eyes Hanover, Brett Miller, Staffan Lind; 8. Mrs Mrs Jones, Mike Lachance, Bob Stewart; 9. Uncommon Night, George Brennan, Dewayne Minor; 10. Aunt Mel, David Miller, Erv Miller.