News and Notes for June 10, 2016

ttastar150THREE TEXAS STALLIONS ON NOTABLE LIST
The June 6 edition of Blood-Horse Daily contains a list on page 10 of the Leading Sires by Percentage of Lifetime Black-Type Stakes Winners, with Too Much Bling at the top of the list, My Golden Song at #6 and Early Flyer at #24. Pretty impressive when you compare their stud fees to other stallions on the list!  The full article can be viewed at:
http://i.bloodhorse.com/dail…/…/BloodHorseDaily-20160606.pdf

ACCREDITED TEXAS-BREDS IN WEEKEND STAKES ACTION
Pam Wright’s homebred He’s So Zazzy (Oratory – Super Delicious) will run in Sunday’s $75,000 Dark Star Stakes for 3-year-olds and up going 6 ½ furlongs at Canterbury Park. Francisco Bravo trains the 3-year-old gelding, who had a huge win in the $40,000 Paul Bunyon Stakes there on May 22.  He now has a career record of 5-3-0-0 with $51,674 in earnings.

TEXAS CONNECTIONS IN THE BELMONT STAKES
Of the field of thirteen 3-year-olds that were entered for the 1 ½ mile classic, four have Texas connections.

Preakness winner Exaggerator, who is owned in part by Texans and new TTA members Ronald and Cody Ortowski, drew post position 11 and was installed as the 9-5 morning line favorite for the 148th running of the G1 Belmont Stakes on Saturday.

With odds of 10-1, Suddenbreakingnews, owned by former TTA director Sonny Henderson of Odessa, will break from post position 4.

Texan and TTA Life Member Steve Asmussen will send out Creator (10-1) and Gettysburg (30-1).

Best of luck to all!

BELMONT STAKES DAY AT LONE STAR PARK
Admission Gates will open early at noon and the first live Lone Star Park race will begin at 2:05 p.m. Simulcast of the Belmont Stakes live from Belmont Park will begin at approximately 5:50.

There will be live music by Limelight to enjoy from 1 -5 p.m. In addition to the live racing fun, children can enjoy the Family Fun Park including bounce houses, pony rides and a petting zoo from noon to 4 p.m.

BELMONT STAKES COVERAGE
NBC Sports Group will begin its coverage of the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) with a “Belmont Access” program at 4 p.m. EDT on NBC Sports Network.

On Belmont day June 11, NBCSN will broadcast a “Belmont Prep” show beginning at 3 p.m. NBC will then take over at 5 p.m. with live coverage of the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes.

NBC Sports Radio, in a program produced in partnership with Horse Racing Radio Network, will present two hours of live coverage from 5-7 p.m. EDT on June 11. There also will be a three-hour pre-race program from 2-5 p.m.

TEXAS SUMMER YEARLING SALE WITH MIXED SESSION
Entries are still being accepted for the August 29 Texas Summer Yearling Sale, which will include a mixed session.  Contact Tim Boyce at 972.523.0332 or Mary Ruyle at 512.458.6133 or go to www.ttasales.com. Don’t miss out on a great opportunity!

NOTES: The next regular meeting of the Texas Racing Commission is set for Tuesday, June 14 in Austin. The meeting will be live-streamed at http://www.house.state.tx.us/video-audio/capitol-events/…Our condolences to the family of Robert Orth of Houston, who passed away earlier this week.  Orth’s biggest winner and his first “big” racehorse was Lightening Ball, who he claimed back in order to retire him.  Lightening Ball was donated to LOPE and is now enjoying life at age 20…The TTA Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet will be held at Lone Star Park next Saturday, June 18.  If you would like to attend, contact Mary Ruyle at 512.458.6133. The TTA Board of Directors will meet at 10 a.m. that day, and will elect officers to serve for the next year.