Tastefullyxcessive (inside) holds on for her first career stakes win * Photo by Reed Palmer Photography

After three straight runner-up finishes, including two in divisions of the Texas Stallion Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park and Retama Park, Clarence Scharbauer Jr.’s homebred Tastefullyxcessive earned her first career stakes win in the $75,000 Got Koko Division of the Texas Stallion Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Lone Star Park on Saturday. Cliff Berry rode the Early Flyer filly for trainer Bret Calhoun and held on to win by a neck as the favorite with a clocking of 1:39.47 for one mile.

“It was a perfect trip,” said Berry. “We got to sit off the speed and she was very relaxed down the backside and when I asked her to run, she came.”

The Texas-bred Tastefullyxcessive tracked early leader Open Summary right out of the gate and then took command in the stretch with a 2 ½-lead before holding off a fast-closing Joyful Hannah at the wire. Tastefullyxcessive, who has now earned $112,615 with three wins and three seconds in nine starts, is the 12th stakes winner sired by Early Flyer, who stands at Scharbaurer’s Valor Farm near Pilot Point, Texas. Tastefullyxcessive is out of Hadif Cat, a daughter of former Valor stallion and longtime top Texas sire Hadif.

Hubert Southard’s homebred Joyful Hannah, a daughter of Key Ranch stallion Uncle Abbie, put in a fine effort in just her third career start. The filly, who is out of the multiple stakes-winning Texas-bred Coastalota, broke her maiden at first asking in March at Sam Houston and then finished a good third against allowance foes in her only other start. Karl Broberg trains the filly.

W.S. Farish’s homebred Makeshift, by Lane’s End Texas stallion Too Much Bling, crossed the wire third. This marked the first start for Makeshift since winning the Two Altazano division of the Texas Stallion Stakes in February at Sam Houston.

Final Song (by My Golden Song), Open Summary (Touch Tone) and Lady Sayla (Valid Expectations) competed the field.