News and Notes for May 25, 2018

FILLY DIVISION OF TSSS ON TAP FOR SATURDAY
The Got Koko division of the $65,000 Clarence Scharbauer Jr. Texas Stallion Stakes for 3-year-old fillies going a mile will be contested Saturday at Lone Star Park with a field of five.

Bret Calhoun will send out three, starting with the 8/5 favorite, graded stakes winner Patrona Margarita (Special Rate – Margarita Mistress) for owner/breeder Craig D. Upham. Patrona Margarita finished 3rd in the $500,000 Gr. 1 Ashland Stakes on April 7th and is coming off a 12th place finish in the Kentucky Oaks.

Multiple stakes winner Howboutthiscowgirl (My Golden Song – Nothinbettertodo),is looking to sweep the filly division of the Stallion Stakes Series after winning the Darby’s Daughter at Retama Park back in November by 2 ½ lengths and the Two Altazano at Sam Houston Race Park on March 17th by 1 ¾ lengths. She has odds of 5/2.

Flight Queen (Early Flyer – Better Than Most) is coming off a layoff after a 3-length win in an allowance optional claiming race at Remington Park on December 1st and has odds of 2/1.

Howboutthiscowgirl and Flight Queen are homebreds for Douglas Scharbauer and are also trained by Calhoun.

Completing the field are multiple stakes placed Shes Our Fastest (Oratory – Dawali) who finished 2nd in the first two legs of the Series and has odds of 4/1 and Sing Prada Sing (Sing Baby Sing – Kimbell’s Prada), who won a 1-mile maiden special weight on April 4th at Lone Star by a whopping 9 ¾ lengths.  She has odds of 20/1.

ACCEPTING AUCTION ITEMS
The Texas Thoroughbred Educational Fund has awarded over $320,000 in scholarships since the fund’s inception in 2005 We regard these scholarships presented to TTA members and their children as an investment in the future of Texas.

A few years ago, TTA formed The Paddock Foundation as a non-profit corporation with a mission to support and advance the care of Thoroughbred racehorses after their racing careers by supporting rescue, retirement, rehabilitation, retraining and rehoming.

At the upcoming Texas Thoroughbred Association Annual Meeting and Awards Luncheon on June 23rd at Lone Star Park we will conduct both live and silent auctions of items to benefit both of these organizations.

Would you consider donating an auction item to these worthy endeavors? Items may include, but are not limited to, sports or other event tickets, use of racetrack suites, gift certificates, jewelry, feed, discounts on goods or services such as horse transportation, books, memorabilia and artwork. All donations are tax deductible.

Please contact Mary Ruyle in the TTA office at 512.458.6133, or by email to maryr@texasthoroughbred.com.

MAY 31 ACCREDITATION DEADLINE
The deadline for accrediting Texas-foaled yearlings (foals of 2017) for the TTA member rate of $75 is a postmark, fax or email date of May 31, 2018. The non-member fee to accredit foals of 2017 is $125. Membership is $60 for a full year. If you are not a TTA member or your membership has expired, you may pay the $60 to become a current member and then pay the $75 accreditation fee. To verify membership status, contact the TTA office.

Please submit a completed application, the appropriate fee and a COPY ONLY of the Jockey Club Certificate of Registration (front & back showing the ownership record). If you do not yet have the Jockey Club certificate, just send in the application and the appropriate fee by the deadline date.

Applications are available at texasthoroughbred.com.

Do not send in the original Jockey Club certificate. You will receive a label to permanently affix to the certificate verifying the Accredited Texas-Bred status of your yearling.

PLEASE NOTE: A yearling nominated to the Texas Stallion Stakes Series (TSSS) has not necessarily been accredited.

To verify accreditation status, please view the list of Accredited Texas foals of 2017 at texasthoroughbred.com, or contact the TTA office at 512.458.6133.

Applications after the May 31 deadline will require an accreditation fee of $200 (members) or $250 (non-members).

NOTES: Congrats to all the connections of Direct Dial (Too Much Bling) win in the Stymie Division of the Texas Stallion Stakes Series at Lone Star last Sunday. The one mile race was the third and final of the Texas Stallion Stakes Series. The first of the series is held at Retama Park in the fall, followed by the second held at Sam Houston in the spring. The victory completed the series triple for Direct Dial…Enjoy Jockeys and Java at Lone Star Park at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday with a complimentary breakfast while you watch the horses during their morning training. Listen to interviews with special guests and take an in-depth tour of the barn and stable area. Come back at 1 p.m. for live racing and enjoy Family Discount Day.  The feature race that afternoon is the $200,000 Gr. 3 Lone Star Park Handicap with a field of five going a mile and a sixteenth.