SPECIAL EVENTS AT TTA SUMMER YEARLING & MIXED SALE
We are pleased to announce two special events to be held in conjunction with the TTA Summer Yearling and Mixed Sale to be conducted in August in the Sales Pavilion at Lone Star Park.
On Sunday morning, August 20th, a New Owners Seminar is scheduled for 10:30 –noon with speakers covering such topics as The Role of the Sales Company, Resource Materials, The Buyer and Options for Ownership, Conformation, Pedigrees, The Veterinarian and Repository, Appraisal and Insuring Horses, Everyday Equine Law, and more.
That evening at 6pm, our pre-sale party offers a way to beat the heat and visit with old and new friends while enjoying complimentary hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar and doorprizes.
Both events are free to attend and all are welcome. Please let us know if you plan to attend the seminar so we can have materials ready for you. Call the TTA office at 512.458.6133, or send an email to maryr@texasthoroughbred.com.
The interactive catalog for the Texas Summer Yearling and Mixed Sale is now online at ttasales.com, and print copies will be mailing in the next few days.
ATB’S IN WEEKEND STAKES
Steve Asmussen will send out W. S. Farish’s homebred Direct Dial (Too Much Bling – Fast Find) as the 5/2 favorite in the $150,000 Gr. III Sanford Stakes at Saratoga on Saturday. In only his second out, the colt finished second in the $150 Tremont Stakes at Belmont on June 9.
There are four stakes on tap at Lone Star Park on Saturday: the $50,000 Valor Farm Stakes for Accredited Texas-bred fillies and mares, 3-years-old and up, going 6 furlongs; the $50,000 Assault Stakes for Accredited Texas-bred 3-year-olds and up going a mile, and both divisions of the $100,000-estimated Texas Thoroughbred Futurity for 2-year-olds going 5 furlongs.
The Valor Farm Stakes is carded as race 7 and has a field of 9, led by 3/1 favorite Zippit E (My Golden Song – Final Trick), a homebred for Wayne Sanders and Larry Hirsch, trained by Bret Calhoun. The 4-year-old multiple stakes winner is coming off a second place finish in the Lane’s End Danny Shifflett Scholarship Stakes at Lone Star on June 24th. She won the Wayne Hanks Memorial Stakes on April 23 and the Yellow Rose Stakes at Houston on March 11.
Danny Pish will saddle Dan and Joyce McGough’s homebred multiple stakes winner My Master Plan (Oratory – One O Seven). The 4-year-old won the Lane’s End Danny Shifflett Scholarship Stakes at Lone Star on June 24th by 3 ¼ lengths, and has odds of 7/2.
Stakes-placed Prada’s Bling (Too Much Bling – Kimbell’s Prada) is a 5-year-old bred by Hall’s Family Trust, who now races for Adriel Gonzalez and is trained by I. V. Gonzalez. She is coming off a 3-length win in an allowance optional claiming race at Evangeline Downs on May 31, and has odds of 4/1.
Completing the field are 4-year-old Too Much Prada (Too Much Bling – Kimbell’s Prada), Valid Bride (Valid Expectations – Cancel the Wedding), Ruby Rumba (Too Much Bling – Expectant Diva), Bethyl’s Royalrose (Too Much Bling – Royalactgo), Dark Desert Wine (Daaher – Lady Countdown), and Kat’s Infatuation (Silver City – Red Thread).
The Assault Stakes, carded as race 9, is garnering a lot of interest due to the opportunity it provides Texas Chrome (Grasshopper –Margarita Mistress) to pass the $1-million mark in earnings. Bred by Craig Upham, owned by Keene Thoroughbreds LLC, the 4-year-old colt and reigning Texas Champion Horse of the Year will be saddled by Allen Milligan.
Bred by W. S. Farish, owned by Brad Grady and trained by Bret Calhoun, multiple stakes winner Supermason (Grasshopper – Folksy) will provide some good competition, coming off a 6 ¾-length win in an allowance optional claiming race going a mile on June 25th at Lone Star. He also won the Premier Stakes on April 20th and has odds of 7/5.
Rounding out the field of 7 are Can’t Be Wrong (Broken Vow – Running Dispute), F J Uncle Vic (Uncle Abbie – Le Her Reign), Buck Fifty (Proud Citizen – Nicholella); Spider’s Alibi (Lookin at Lucky – Miss Missile), and Fast Talkin Man (Oratory – Dancingwithfortune).
Race 8 is the filly division of the Texas Thoroughbred Futurity for TTA Sale Graduates and Accredited Texas-bred going 5 furlongs, with a competitive field of 10. The 5/2 favorite is Patrona Margarita (Special Rate – Margarita Mistress), a half sister to Texas Chrome, bred and owned by Craig Upham and Sue Dowling. Trained by Bret Calhoun, she won her first out in a maiden special weight at Churchill Downs on June 9 and came back to finish 8th in the $100,000 Debutante Stakes there on June 30th.
Steve Asmussen will send out 3/1 Ms. Classic West (Intimidator – Ms Classic Seneca), who was bred by Keith Asmussen and is owned by him in partnership with Erv Woolsey. She is coming off a 4 1/4-length win in a maiden special weight on May 21 at Lone Star.
At 7/2 is Janae (Closing Argument – Debs Pet), purchased for $16,000 from the 2016 Texas Yearling and Mixed Sale by Susan Moulton from the consignment of Benchmark Training Center. She is coming off a 3-length win in a maiden special weight at Lone Star on July 1st.
Completing the field of 10 are Golden Cat Tale (Tale of the Cat – Russian Gold), Donna’s True Bling (Yes It’s True – Ima Three Blinger), Silver in the City (Silver City – Kachinga), Rockin Royalty (Early Flyer – Our Royal Saint), Western Maid (Intimidator – Readylight), Caroline the Great (Into Mischief – Tizn’t Caught), and Another Level (Emcee – Saintcerely).
The colt/gelding division of the Texas Thoroughbred Futurity is race 10, with a full field of 12. Bret Calhoun sends out the favorite in this division also with 7/5 Galactica (Uncle Abbie – Castelli’s Ace). Carl Moore and Brad Grady purchased the gelding for $52,000 from the Texas 2-Year-Old Sale consignment of Twin Oaks Training Stable. He is coming off a 4 ¼-length win in a MSW at Lone Star on July 4th.
Almeria (Into Mischief – Lacey Officer) was purchased from the Texas 2-Year-Old Sale by Peter Redekop B. C. Ltd from the consignment of Garza Bloodstock for $110,000. Coming off a second place at Los Alamitos on July 7, the colt has been given odds of 5/2.
Calhoun will also saddle Swift Shock (My Golden Song – Shocktime) for owner Douglas Scharbauer. Bred by Clarence Scharbauer III, the gelding is coming off a win on May 20th at Lone Star and has odds of 9/2.
Rounding out the field are Yours Alone (Too Much Bling – Autumn Banner), Midnight Candle (Midnight Lute – Candilejas), Solar Effect (Crossbow – Solarfast), Ramblin Fever (Eaton’s Gift – Pelican Lake), Bold Bulldog (Oratory – Seeking Heaven), Early Double (Early Flyer – Lil’ Mary Jane), Toledo Pache (Littleexpectations – Trifolium), Aceguitar (Star Guitar – Cherub Heart), and My Golden Tale (My Golden Song – Cat Tale).
NOTES: Congrats to End Zone Athletics, Inc. who was #7 on the TOBA list of top owners by North American earnings through June 1…The Breeders’ Cup 2017 early foal nomination deadline for foals entered in a fall sale is August 1…Our condolences to SHRP’s Andrea Young, whose father passed away recently…We also offer sympathy to the family of TTA member Victoria Hammond of Leander, who passed away this week.