THREE STAKES SET FOR SATURDAY AT SHRP
The stakes action on Saturday night at Sam Houston Race Park includes three features, each with a $50,000 purse: the Houston Distaff, the Houston Turf and the Sam Houston Sprint Cup.
Seneca Destiny (Seneca Jones – Dixie’s Destiny) is the 2-1 favorite in the Houston Distaff (T), having won her last out in the San Jacinto Stakes on January 22nd. The 5-year-old mare was bred by Keith Asmussen and is owned by Double Dip Stables.
She will take on five rivals, including the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place finishers from the San Jacinto: 3-1 Whiskey Eyes (Special Rate – Hay Costa), 4-1 Molly’s Honour (Etesaal – Honour Shaker), and 6-1 Infectious (Valid Expectations – Red Cell), as well as last year’s San Jacinto Stakes champion 5-1 Expect Royalty (Valid Expectations – Autumn Sky) and 6-1 Swifterthantaylor (My Golden Song – Pete’s Five) in the mile and one-sixteenth feature for Accredited Texas-bred fillies and mares.
Rose Mary Chandler’s homebred, I Am Jane Dough (My Golden Song – Strawberry Smile), is the 3-1 favorite, taking on the boys in a full field of Accredited Texas-breds in the Houston Turf Stakes. She came from off the pace to win her last start in the $50,000 Richard King Stakes on opening weekend for trainer Danny Pish.
Providing tough competition are 8-1 Bully Good (My Golden Song – Uno Mas Promesa), 12-1 Early Ride (Early Flyer – Miss My Ride); 6-1 Supermason (Grasshopper – Folksy), 9-2 Magna Breeze (Magna Graduate – Flashbulb Breeze), 6-1 Rule Breaker (Heavenly Rules – Moses Tablet), 6-1 Seeking West (Authenticate – Seeking a Storm); 8-1 Special U F O (Special Rate – Mysterious Light), 12-1 P Millers Clock (Etesaal – Class Approval), and 12-1 Witt Six (Drums of Thunder – Taitt Hill).
The final feature of the card, the Sam Houston Sprint Cup Stakes, drew a compact, but contentious field of seven runners going six furlongs, including 8-1 Accredited Texas-bred Meme Jo (Too Much Bling – Honey Gold). Bred by Jeanne Bruce, the 6-year-old gelding is owned by Team Bryant Thoroughbred and is trained by George R. Bryant.
THE ONGOING SAGA OF TEXAS RACING
Shortly before the February 9 Texas Racing Commission meeting to potentially decide whether to repeal rules regulating Historical Racing, officials were served with a temporary restraining order signed by a Cameron County judge.
The restraining order, a result of a lawsuit filed by the Texas Greyhound Association, prevented commissioners from taking any action on the issue. A hearing in the case is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. February 18 in the 107th District Court in Cameron County.
TRC Executive Director Chuck Trout had previously notified racetracks, breed registries and the Texas Horsemen’s Partnership of intent to close the Texas Racing Commission and shut down racing and simulcasting on February 16, but issued a statement later in the day that operations will continue through February 29th.
The Commission has now issued notice of an emergency meeting to be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, February 18 (the same date as the hearing in Cameron County) in Austin. The agenda includes yet another vote to repeal Historical Racing Rules.
Watch for updates at www.facebook.com/TexasThoroughbredAssociation/ and www.texasthoroughbred.com.
ONLINE STALLION SEASON AUCTION CLOSES TODAY AT 5PM CENTRAL
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to purchase a 2016 stallion breeding at a special price!
Check out the list of available stallions and place your bid at
https://texasthoroughbred.com/stall…/online-stallion-auction/
ROSES TO RIBBONS
The Roses to Ribbons Old Fashioned Horse Fair, scheduled for noon on Saturday, February 20 at Sam Houston Race Park, is an opportunity for the public to shop for off the track Thoroughbreds. Available horses will be shown to the public in the saddling paddock area, beginning at noon. Along with horses, there will be a horse fair featuring all sorts of horse related products as well as equine artists. The event goes on rain or shine.
We are very excited to announce that in conjunction with Roses to Ribbons, LOPE (Lonestar Outreach to Place Ex-racers) will present a seminar on acquiring an OTTB. The seminar will start at 11:00 a.m.in the saddling paddock. Topics will include temperament evaluation, bringing your Thoroughbred home, and much more. Events are free and open to the public.
For more information, go to https://www.facebook.com/events/224472671223924/
NOTES: February 15 is the deadline for receipt of Texas Thoroughbred Educational Fund scholarship applications…The $300 sustaining payment for the Texas Thoroughbred Futurity is due February 15, which is a postal holiday, and therefore a February 16 postmark date will be accepted…The Texas Thoroughbred 2-Year-Old In Training sale is scheduled for April 4 at Lone Star Park with consignments still being accepted on a space-available basis. Contact Tim Boyce at 972.523.0332…David Cabrera is the leading rider in the SHRP Thoroughbred meet, winning 21 of his 111 starts. Mindy Willis has saddled 12 winners to take sole possession of the lead in the trainer standings, and Steve Asmussen is off to a great start as an owner with six wins this meet.