News and Notes for June 12, 2020

TEXAS CHAMPIONS DAY AT LONE STAR PARK
On Sunday, Lone Star Park will present Texas Champions Day with seven stakes worth $75,000 each.  These races were originally scheduled to be run at Sam Houston Race Park on March 21st but had to be cancelled. This is also the first day of the meet at which fans will be allowed to attend!

Carded as Race #3, the Yellow Rose Stakes for ATB fillies and mares, 4-years-old and up going 6 furlongs has drawn a field of 6 headed up by 6/5 favorite Shes Our Fastest (Oratory – Dawali). Bred by Eureka Thoroughbred Farm, the multiple stakes winner won last year’s Yellow Rose at Houston by 2 ½ lengths.  Owned by Mark Norman and Norman Stables LLC and trained by Scott Gelner, she won her last out in the Owner Appreciation Distaff S. at Delta Downs on February 28th.

At 5/2 is stakes winner Ima Discreet Lady (Discreet Cat – Ima Three Blinger), bred by the late Larry S. Huntsinger is owned by Raymond Todd White & Duane Coker and trained by Karl Broberg. The 4-year-old filly won last year’s Bluebonnet Stakes here by 2 ¼ lengths.

Completing the field are 10/1 Eaton’s Memory (Eaton’s Gift – Sally Memo), 9/2 Brave Daisey (Hidden Blessing – Brave Vixen), 30/1 Whipum Naenae (Uncle Abbie – Readum N Reap), and 5/1 Silver City Trick (Silver City – Final Trick).

The Spirit of Texas Stakes for ATB 4-year-olds and up going 6 furlongs has a field of 5 led by 6/5 favorite Imma Bling (Too Much Bling – Imma Be a Wildcat), trained by Karl Broberg for his End Zone Athletics Inc. Bred by Hall Family Trust, the 7-year-old gelding won the 2018 edition of this race.  After racing out of state, he had a tune up here on June 1st.

Steve Asmussen will send out 7/5 Direct Dial (Too Much Bling – Fast Find) for owner/breeder W. S. Farish.  The multiple stakes winner won last year’s Spirit of Texas at Houston by a whopping 5 ½ lengths.  This will be his first start since April.

Providing competition is 10/1 Affluent Gentleman (Early Flyer – Affluent Lady), 10/1 Rumpole (Too Much Bling – Dehere’s Dream), 15/1 J C’s Nightcap (Mr. Nightlinger – One O Seven), and 15/1 Dr. Boehrer (Silver City – Vigorous Feelings).

Race #5 is the Richard King Turf Stakes for ATB 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles.  The field of 9 includes James Wessel’s homebred Redatory (Oratory – My Silver Song) who is the 7/5 favorite. He won his last out, the Houston Turf Stakes on February 22nd  by an attention-getting 4 ¼ lengths.

Mindy Willis will saddle 5/2 Sunlit Song (My Golden Song – Fly So True) for Carolyn Barnett and Becky Harding.  Barnett bred the multiple stakes placed gelding, who finished 2nd to Redatory in the Houston Turf S. on February 22nd.

Rounding out the field are 15/1 Easter Snap (Etesaal – Seneca Song), 6/1 Bonjour Baby (Sing Baby Sing – Secret Sweep), 15/1 Moojab Jr. (Moojab – Ticket), 12/1 Right Lane Lukasz (Temple City – Wrenice), 12/1 Lethal Move (Street Move – Lethal Temper), 12/1 Woulda Coulda Did (Special Rate – Dancingwithfortune), and 20/1 Better Than Magic (My Golden Song – Most Magic).

There is a field of 9 ATB 3-year-olds going 6 furlongs in the Groovy Stakes.  Bret Calhoun sends out 2/1 favorite Gold Pilot (My Golden Song – Formal Flyer) for Wayne Sanders & Larry Hirsch.  Bred by Ronald and Margaret Ellerbee, Gold Pilot won the Jim’s Orbit division of the Texas Stallion Stakes at Houston on February 22nd by 2 ¾ lengths.

Steve Asmussen will saddle 5/2 Good Judgment (Too Much Bling – Libbies Mission) for Michael P. Lyons, Clark O. Brewster and Montgomery Lair.  Bred by the late Larry S. Huntsinger, the colt finished 2nd to Gold Pilot in this year’s Jim’s Orbit S. at Houston, and won his last out, an allowance here on May 23rd.

Competitors are 30/1 Moro Appeal (Moro Tap – Moving Appeal), 20/1 Rock the Devil (Too Much Bling – the Devil is Mine), 20/1 John Dough (Court Vision – I Am Jane Dough), 15/1 He’s a Suitor (Hat Trick – Blue Grass Arch), 8/1 Wonders of Hislove (Early Flyer – Maymeister), 12/1 Moro Said Ready (Moro Tap – Who Said Ready), and 7/2 Bubba Bling (Too Much Bling – My Silver Song).

A field of 8 ATB 3-year-old fillies will go postward in the 6 furlong Bara Lass Stakes.  Mindy Willis will saddle 8/5 favorite Always Inthe Munny (Munnings – Always a Star (IRE)) for Michael Grossman.  Bred by his Eureka Thoroughbred Farm, she won a 5 ½ furlong allowance at Will Rogers Downs by 8 lengths on May 12th.

Danny Pish will send out 3/1 Gee She Sparkles (Race Day – Pata Fresca) who he owns in partnership with GFB Racing LLC.  Bred by Inside Move, she won the filly division of the Texas Thoroughbred (Sales) Futurity here last summer by an impressive 5 ¼ lengths.  She is coming off a long layoff, having last raced in January.

Completing the field are 12/1 Tristan’s Gold (My Golden Song – Glitter Effort), 7/2 Brightest (Too Much Bling – Fast Find), 20/1 Tell Me U Love Me (My Golden Song – Red Thread), 15/1 Dancin All Alone (Congrats – Silver Frame), 9/2 No Mas Tequila (Northern Afleet – Foxy Boss), and 20/1 It’s My Money (Early Flyer – Pete’s Five).

Race #8 is the San Jacinto Turf S. with a field of 8 ATB Fillies & Mares 4-years-old and up going a mile and a sixteenth.

The even odds favorite is Ian Yarnot’s homebred Corluna (Unbridled’s Heart – Red Moon Cat), trained by Sarah Delany. Corluna finished 2nd in this race last year at Houston, and she is coming off a long layoff after last running at Fair Grounds in March.

At 3/1 is Too Much Irish (Too Much Bling – Irish Emily) trained by Danny Pish who owns the filly in partnership with Lane M. Hutchins.  This is only her 9th start, after finishing 4th in the Miss Houston Turf S. in February.

20/1 Avery’s Miss (Interactif – Itisi), 12/1 the Lumber Gal (The Lumber Guy – Dry Heat), 6/1 Goodnight Song (My Golden Song – Pete’s Five), 30/1 Night N Red Satin (Celestic Night – Red Satin Boot), 10/1 Herbs Love (Etesaal – Totally Vested) and 10/1 Brazos Angel (Angliana – Detonate) complete the field.

The final race of the day is the Star of Texas Stakes for ATB 4-year-olds and up going a mile with a field of 10.  The 5/2 favorite is Kenai Bob (Shackelford – Blue Ivy) owned by Michael Grossman and bred by his Eureka Thoroughbred Farm.  Trained by Mindy Willis, the gelding most recently finished 2nd in an allowance at Will Rogers Downs on May 18th.

At 3/1 is He’s So Zazzy (Oratory – Super Delicious), bred by Pam K. Wright and owned by Gene Burkholder.  Trained by William N. Martin, the 7-year-old gelding has been racing at Oaklawn, with his last out there on April 30th.

Rounding out the field are 8/1 Unbroken Song (My Golden Song – Light Lace), 20/1 Mucho Dinero (Early Flyer – Won Peso), 4/1 Kats Second Silver (Silver City – Red Thread), 10/1 Gold Buyer (My Golden Song – Most Magic), 30/1 Trumps Revenge (I Want Revenge – Cookin’s Cast), 20/1 Gunnerscelesticman (Celestic Night – Lady Hi Teck), 15/1 Cowboy Bling (Too Much Bling – Frieda Frau), and 5/1 Galactica (Uncle Abbie – Castelli’s Ace).

Best of luck to all!

NOTES: June 15th is the consignment deadline for the August 24th Texas Yearling and Horses of Racing Age Sale.  See www.ttasales.com for details and forms.  Also, each horse that goes through the ring at the sale is eligible for a rebate of ½ the consignment fee…Simulcasting is now available at Lone Star Park, Retama Park and Sam Houston Race Park.