TEXAS CHAMPIONS DAY STAKES AT SHRP
Sam Houston Race Park will present seven $75,000 stakes on Saturday, March 21 saluting Texas-breds. However, due to COVID-19 restrictions set forth by Harris County Officials, only essential Texas Racing Commission licensees are permitted on the grounds. The entire card will be streamed live on shrp.com.
Saturday night’s action begins with a field of seven Accredited Texas-breds in the one mile Star of Texas. Gene Burkholder’s He’s So Zazzy (Oratory – Super Delicious) returns to Sam Houston for the first time since running second in the 2019 Spirit of Texas Stakes. Bred by Pam K. Wright and trained by William Martin, He’s So Zazzy is the high earner in the field with $228,786 banked in 34 starts and is the 9-5 favorite.
Karl Broberg will saddle stakes placed Kats Second Silver (Silver City – Red Thread) for owner Zachary Roush.The 5-year-old gelding was bred by Wayne Sanders and Larry Hirsch and has odds of 5-2.
Mike Powers’ multiple stakes placed Gold Buyer (My Golden Song – Most Magic) will transition from turf to the main track. He last competed in the $75,000 Houston Turf Stakes on February 22 for trainer Tracy Norris and has posted two bullet works in preparation for this start. His odds are 7-2.
Completing the field are Galactica (Uncle Abbie – Castelli’s Ace); Lethal Move (Street Move – Lethal Temper), Kenai Bob (Shackelford – Blue Ivy); and Trumps Revenge (I Want Revenge – Cookin’s Cast).
A field of six colts and geldings will run six furlongs in the Groovy Stakes led by the top 3 finishers in the Jim’s Orbit division of the Clarence Scharbauer Jr. Texas Stallion Stakes on February 22nd: 8-5 Gold Pilot (My Golden Song – Formal Flyer), bred by Ronald and Margaret Ellerbee, and trained by Bret Calhoun for Wayne Sanders and Larry Hirsch; 2-1 Good Judgment (Too Much Bling – Libbies Mission), bred by the late Larry S. Huntsinger and trained by Steve Asmussen; and 4-1 Bubba Bling (Too Much Bling – My Silver Song), bred by James Wessel. Asmussen trains and owns Bubba Bling.
Rounding out the field are He’s a Suitor (Hat Trick (JPN) – Bluegrass Arch), Wonders of Hislove (Early Flyer – Maymeister) and Rock the Devil (Too Much Bling – The Devil is Mine).
A field of ten Accredited Texas-bred fillies will compete at the distance of six furlongs in the Bara Lass. Bret Calhoun will send out Dust A Flying (Early Flyer – Dixie Dust), winner of last month’s $75,000 Two Altazano for owners Sanders and Hirsch. The filly was bred by Douglas Scharbauer and has odds of 3-1. Mindy Willis will saddle 7-2 Always Inthe Munny (Munnings – Always a Star (IRE)) for Michael Grossman, whose Eureka Thoroughbred Farm bred the filly.
Completing the field are 2019 Texas Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Gee She Sparkles (Race Day – Pata Fresca); Heavenly Rhythm (Congaree – Rockintotherhythm); No Mas Tequila (Northern Afleet – Foxy Boss); Take Charge Woman (Take Charge Indy – Ima Three Blinger); Tell Me U Love Me (My Golden Song – Red Thread); It’s My Money (Early Flyer – Pete’s Five); True Runner (Don Gato – Honorable Run) and Dancin All Alone (Congrats – Silver Frame).
A contentious field of seven turf specialists will compete in the Richard King Stakes including the top three finishers in the $75,000 Houston Turf Stakes here last month: James Wessel’s homebred 8-5 favorite Redatory (Oratory – My Silver Song) who is trained by Allen Dupuy; 8-1 Cowboy Bling (Too Much Bling – Frieda Frau), bred, co-owned and trained by Danny Pish; and 4-1 Sunlit Song (My Golden Song – Fly So True) bred and owned in partnership by Carolyn Barnett and trained by Mindy Willis.
Rounding out the field are Right Lane Lukasz (Temple City – Wrenice); Moojab Jr. (Moojab – Ticket); Bonjour Baby (Sing Baby Sing – Secret Sweep); and Easter Snap (Etesaal – Seneca Song).
A field of ten colts and geldings will enter the starting gate for the six furlong $50,000 Spirit of Texas Stakes. Several of the most accomplished Texas-bred sprinters will make this one of the most competitive features on the card.
Steve Asmussen will send out 2-1 favorite Will S. Farish’s homebred Direct Dial (Too Much Bling – Fast Find), who won last year’s edition of this race. He will face 2018 Spirit of Texas champion Imma Bling (Too Much Bling – Imma Be a Wildcat), who makes his return to Sam Houston Race Park for owner/trainer Karl Broberg with odds of 7-2.
Irby Jack Cook’s homebred Sugar Footin Bling (Too Much Bling – Expecting Sugar), who won the 2017 Groovy Stakes has odds of 3-1.
Providing competition are Rumpole (Too Much Bling – Dehere’s Dream); Nova Notion (Barely Bridled – Pismo Beach); Texas Long Bow (Crossbow – Determined Daria); Affluent Gentleman (Early Flyer – Affluent Lady); Crosstime (Crossbow – Bridal Gal); J C’s Nightcap (Mr. Nightlinger – One O Seven); and Dr. Boehrer (Silver City – Vigorous Feelings).
The second turf feature of the evening is the San Jacinto Stakes for fillies and mares to be contested on the Connally Turf Course at a distance of a mile and one-sixteenth. It features the return of the top three finishers in the February 22 running of the Miss Houston Turf Stakes: 8-5 favorite Texas Belle (Angliana – Inthemiddleofitall), bred by Eureka Thoroughbred Farm and trained by Mindy Willis for Richard Chandler, who won the Miss Houston by 4 lengths; Will Kari’s homebred 4-1 She’s Pretty Lucky (Lookin at Lucky – Pretty Amusing) who came in second; and Billy Clevenger’s homebred 15-1 Zarelda (My Golden Song – Tiz Tiz) who came in 3rd.
Completing the field are Corluna (Unbridled’s Heart – Red Moon Cat); Brazos Angel (Angliana – Detonate); Goodnight Song (My Golden Song – Pete’s Five); Sueno Americano (Niagara Causeway – Chargers Beauty); and Too Much Irish (Too Much Bling – Irish Emily).
Eight very capable fillies will conclude the stakes action on Saturday night in the six furlong Yellow Rose headed up by 6-5 favorite Shes Our Fastest (Oratory – Dawali), owned by Mark Norman and Norman Stables Inc. Bred by Eureka Thoroughbred Farm and trained by Scott Gelner, she is hoping to repeat her win in last year’s Yellow Rose.
2019 Bara Lass winner Ima Discreet Lady (Discreet Cat – Ima three Blinger) is a notable contender for trainer Karl Broberg. Bred by the late Larry S. Huntsinger, she now runs for owners Raymond Todd White and Duane Coker and has odds of 6-1.
Completing the field are Eaton’s Memory (Eaton’s Gift – Sallys Memo); Silver City Trick (Silver City – Final Trick); Dark Desert Wine (Daaher – Lady Countdown); Unapologetically (Too Much Bling – General Reunion); Brave Daisey (Hidden Blessing – Brave Vixen); and Light Up the Devil (Light Up the Score – the Devil is Mine).
“We look forward to presenting an excellent edition of Texas Champions Day,” said Frank Hopf, Sam Houston Race Park’s Senior Director of Racing. “Despite the necessary attendance restrictions due to COVID-19, we appreciate the cooperation of the owners and of course, our fans during this time.
HORSE OWNER HELP DURING COVID-19
Practical tips to help horse owners in troubling times can be found at https://thehorse.com/186173/horse-owner-help-during-covid-19/?utm_medium=Welfare+enews&utm_source=Newsletter
DIGITAL CERTIFICATE VIDEO, FAQS FROM THE JOCKEY CLUB
The Jockey Club Registry has made available a video tutorial and FAQs to assist industry stakeholders with managing digital certificates. Digital certificates were introduced in 2018 to streamline management of the official certificate of registration throughout the life of a Thoroughbred.
Click here to watch the tutorial and click here to read the FAQs.
“A digital certificate follows a Thoroughbred from the farm to the sales to the racetrack to the breeding shed and even into retirement,” said Rick Bailey, registrar, The Jockey Club. “The foals of 2018 are now 2 years old, and they are the first Thoroughbreds to arrive at the racetrack with digital certificates. We want to help racing office personnel, trainers, and other interested parties learn how to manage digital certificates to ensure the process is smooth and efficient for everyone. For Thoroughbreds 3 years old and older, the paper certificate process stays the same.”
For those who do not have an Interactive Registration (IR) account, the first step to managing digital certificates is creating an account at registry.jockeyclub.com. IR has been used by breeders, owners, and agents for more than two decades to submit names, registration applications, and other materials to the registry office. Sign-up is free, and anyone with a valid email address can sign up for an account.
When a horse is registered, the person performing the registration is prompted to designate the first certificate manager. The certificate manager has control of the digital certificate, similar to having possession of a paper certificate. If a horse is consigned to a sale before registration is complete, the certificate is automatically assigned to the sales company.
A certificate manager can assign a certificate to an individual/entity, sales company, racetrack, or The Jockey Club Registry. During the assignment process, current ownership information can be updated, and if certificate management is assigned to a racetrack, a trainer must be selected.
Digital certificates also show logos that indicate Breeders’ Cup nomination, Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau digital tattoo status, many state breeders’ programs, and other important designations. Documents such as Coggins or a bill of sale can be uploaded to a digital certificate and are indicated by a paperclip icon.