By any other measure, Shadow Tracer's toying with the Mackinac Stakes field to a 5 1/4-length win would have been an outstanding statement in the race for Michigan's 3-year-old male of the year honors. For the colt himself, it was just business as usual, extending his unbeaten streak at Hazel Park to four on Saturday.

The Even the Score colt left the gate sharply from the outside post, and was put on the lead three-wide by jockey Melissa Zajac, with challenges on the inside from Last Charger and My Henry. Shadow Tracer took a one-length lead into an opening quarter of 24.11 seconds, and created enough separation in the first turn to finally move over to the rail.

Zajac was practically standing in the irons across the backstretch as Artavia was rushed into contention to the colt's outside. Despite the test, Shadow Tracer extended his lead with little asking, and was six lengths ahead after a half-mile in 49.60 seconds. Zajac finally began to sit down on her mount in the final turn, but only to keep Shadow Tracer's attention.

The jockey never drew her whip on the colt, who loped down the stretch to win by an effortless 5 1/4 lengths. Artavia chased the winner to finish second, 14 1/4 lengths ahead of No Cash Back.

Shadow Tracer stopped the clock in the 6 1/2-furlong race in 1:22.02 over a fast track. He paid $2.10 to win as the overwhelming favorite, so much so that show wagering was removed from the race's betting menu. Announcer Josh Brown said in the stretch call that $31,000 was bet on Shadow Tracer in the place pool, making up about 64 percent of the overall win/place pool.

Zajac rode the Mackinac winner for owner/breeder Jim and Martha Fortney's Elkhorn Oaks and trainer James Jackson.

Saturday's race improved Shadow Tracer's record to five wins in nine starts for earnings of $71,845. It is his second stakes win, following a 14 3/4-length triumph in the Lansing Stakes on June 3 at Hazel Park.

Shadow Tracer's campaign at Hazel Park has been nothing short of commanding, but the Mackinac marks the end of his stakes opportunites at this year's Hazel Park meet. As a son of Kentucky stallion Even the Score, the colt is not eligible for his division of the Michigan Sire Stakes card on Sept. 2.