ATB’S IN WEEKEND STAKES
There are four stakes on tap this Sunday at Lone Star Park: the $50,000 Assault Stakes for Accredited Texas-bred 3-year-olds and up going a mile, the $50,000 Valor Farm Stakes for Accredited Texas-bred fillies and mares, 3-years-old and up going six furlongs, and the 29th running of both divisions of the Texas Thoroughbred Futurity for Texas Sale graduates and Accredited Texas-bred berth entries going five furlongs.
The 21st running of the Assault Stakes will be contested as race #7 with a competitive field of six, led by 4-5 favorite Supermason (Grasshopper – Folksy), who was second in this race last year to Texas Chrome. The 6-year-old gelding is coming off a 1 ¾ length win in an allowance optional claiming race here on June 21 and won the $50,000 Bluebonnet Stakes on opening day by 4 ¾ lengths. The multiple stakes winner was bred in partnership by W. S. Farish, is owned by Brad Grady and trained by Bret Calhoun. He has a career record of 34-12-5-3 with $378,125 in earnings.
Trainer Bob Young will saddle Fletcher Properties’ homebred multiple stakes winner Rumpole (Too Much Bling – Dehere’s Dream). The 4-year-old gelding finished second to Supermason in the Bluebonnet Stakes. He has odds of 5-2.
At 5-1 is stakes winner Galactica (Uncle Abbie – Castelli’s Ace), a 3-year-old bred by Larry S. Huntsinger and trained by Calhoun for owners Carl Moore Management LLC and Brad Grady. A $52,000 graduate of the 2017 Texas 2-Year-Old Sale, he now has a record of 7-3-2-1 with over $118,000 in earnings and finished second in the Stymie division of the $65,000 Clarence Scharbauer Jr. Texas Stallion Stakes Series here on May 20th.
Rounding out the field are F J Uncle Vic (Uncle Abbie – Let Her Reign); Gavin (Improper Again – Proud Carmela) and Special Praise (River Squall – With Praise).
Carded as race #8 is the $98,047 filly division of the Texas Thoroughbred Futurity with a field of 10. The 5-2 favorite is Silvercents, a Louisiana-bred by Goldencents out of Carl’s Frosty Girl. Sold for $25,000 from the consignment of Pike Racing at the 2018 Texas 2-Year-Old Sale, she is trained by Terry Eoff, who owns her in partnership with Johnny Evans. She won her second out here on July 1st, a 5-furlong maiden special weight by an impressive 4 ¾ lengths.
Silver Moon Rising (Silver City – Solarfast) is a Texas-bred sales grad who sold for $27,000 from the Diamond D Ranch consignment. Bred by Caroline Dodwell, she is trained by Karl Broberg for M and M Racing. She broke her maiden here in a 4 ½ furlong race on May 12th.
Dodwell also bred and sold 5-1 Tinseltown Flyer, an Oklahoma-bred by Early Flyer. She runs for T and M Precision Services and is trained by Andy Gladd.
At 6-1 is Adventurous Lady, a Kentucky-bred who was a $100,000 RNA at the 2018 sale. She is trained by Steve Asmussen for Jerry Durant, and ran second at Churchill Downs on June 15th.
Completing the field are Cowgirls Like Us (KY); Here’s the Deal (LA); Metallic Silver, a Texas-bred by Crossbow; Pick N Run, a Texas-bred by Intimidator; Princess Goldie (KY); and Stillaplay, another Texas-bred by Intimidator.
Race #9 is the 21st running of the Valor Farm Stakes with a field of 9, headed up by 5-2 favorite Prada’s Bling (Too Much Bling – Kimbell’s Prada), who won this race last year. Bred by Hall’s Family Trust, the stakes winner is owned by Adriel Gonzalez and trained by Isai Gonzalez. The 6-year-old mare recently won two stakes at Fonner Park and was second in the $50,000 Yellow Rose Stakes at Houston in January. Her career record is 45-14-10-4 with $242,857 in earnings.
Wayne Sanders and Larry Hirsch have two homebreds in the race: multiple stakes winner and 3-1 choice Zippit E (My Golden Song – Final Trick), who finished second in this race last year, and stakes winner Kat’s Infatuation (Silver City – Red Thread), listed at 7-2 and whose last out was her third-place finish in this race last year. Zippit E won the $50,000 Lane’s End Danny Shifflett Scholarship Stakes on June 23rd. Both are trained by Bret Calhoun.
Calhoun will also send out Douglas Scharbauer’s homebred Flight Queen (Early Flyer – Better Than Most), who was second in the filly division of the Texas Stallion Stakes on May 26th. She has odds of 4-1.
Completing the field are April Sugar (Must Be Fair – Personal Finesse); Brave Daisey (Hidden Blessing – Brave Vixen); Ceremony (Proud Citizen – Onda Nova); Dark Desert Wine (Daaher – Lady Countdown); and Valid Bride (Valid Expectations – Cancel the Wedding).
With a full field of 12, the final race of the day is the colt/gelding division of the Texas Thoroughbred Futurity, with a purse of $109,312.
Texas-bred Wakefield (Munnings – Proudtobeajones) is the 2-1 favorite. Bred by Nathan Wallis, he sold for $65,000 from the Texas 2-Year-Old Sale consignment of Twin Oaks Training Center. He is trained by Karl Broberg for Jerry Namy, and won a maiden special weight on May 24th.
At 5-2 is Stupify, a Kentucky-bred that also sold from the Twin Oaks consignment to Susan Moulton for $110,000. Trained by Steve Asmussen, he broke his maiden at Churchill on May 24th.
Danele Durham trains, bred and is a part owner with Ed Beggs II of 5-1 Lullaby Bling (Too Much Bling – Soft Music). The colt went for $100,000 from the 2-Year-Old consignment of Benchmark Training Center. He broke his maiden by a whopping 6 ¼ lengths here on June 23rd.
Kentucky-bred B. B. Dude was a $15,000 RNA from the 2-Year-Old Sale who is trained by Steve Asmussen for Jerry Durant. He broke his maiden at Churchill on June 1 and has odds of 8-1.
Also at 8-1 is Stoneview Farm, Inc.’s homebred E Rated (Special Rate – E Classic) who went through the ring at the 2017 Texas Yearling and Mixed Sale. Trained by Bret Calhoun, he won his first out here on June 23rd by an astounding 7 lengths.
The remainder of the field is comprised of Big Bobby Brown (KY); Georgia Deputy (OK); Moro Charlie (TX); Otto Parts (LA); Quepaza Bernardini (KY); Shark (TX); and Silver and Aces (TX).
AUGUST 1 DEADLINES
August 1 is the deadline for late payment of the annual administrative fee for ATB stallions. Payment of this $325 fee will entitle the stallion owner to receive ATB Stallion Owner Awards for eligible foals conceived during the 2018 breeding season. No administrative fee postmarked after August 1 will be accepted for the 2018 breeding season.
It is also the date for submission of Reports of Mares Bred to The Jockey Club. Please remember to print out a copy of the report to send to the TTA for our files.
NOTES: The Lone Star Park Racing Club will attempt to extend its record to 3 for 3 at this meet tonight, when Fred’s Lucky Boy makes his first start for the group. He goes in the opener, a five-furlong turf sprint in which he is offered for a claiming price of $12,500.