TEXAS CONNECTIONS IN STAKES ON OAKS AND DERBY DAY
We are sending good luck wishes to the following Texas connections, and any we may have overlooked:

Friday, May 3, (G2) $400,000 Alysheba Stakes: Silver Dust (KY), owned by Tom Durant and trained by Bret Calhoun; Copper Bullet (KY), trained by Steve Asmussen;

(G2) Eight Belles Stakes: Lyrical Lady (KY), trained by Steve Asmussen;

(G1) $500,000 La Troienne Stakes: Shes a Julie (KY) and Awe Emma (KY), both trained by Steve Asmussen;

(G1) $1,250,000 Kentucky Oaks: Lady Apple (KY), trained by Steve Asmussen;

Saturday, May 4, (G1) $500,000 Humana Distaff Stakes: Mia Mischief (KY), owned by Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt with partners, trained by Steve Asmussen;

(G2) $400,000 American Turf Stakes: War Films (KY), trained by Steve Asmussen;

(G1) $500,000 Churchill Downs Stakes: Mitole (KY), owned by Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt, trained by Steve Asmussen:

(G3)  $400,000 Pat Day Mile Stakes: Accredited Texas-bred Mr Money Bags, bred and owned by Roy W. Cobb and trained by Mike Neatherlin; Manny Wah (KY), owned by Susan Moulton; Mr. Money (KY), trained by Bret Calhoun; Captain Von Trapp (KY) and Tobacco Road (KY), both trained by Steve Asmussen;

(G1) $3,000,000 Kentucky Derby: Code of Honor (KY), owned by W. S. Farish; Long Range Toddy (KY), trained by Steve Asmussen; and By My Standards (KY), trained by Bret Calhoun.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
As of Thursday, House Bill 1995 passed both the House and the Senate.  This bill will redirect tax on interstate simulcast wagers from General Revenue to the Texas Racing Commission’s funding.

HB 3366 passed out of the House Licensing and Administrative Procedures Committee and has been sent to Calendars; companion bill SB 1997 is pending in the Water and Rural Affairs Committee.  This bill will take ATB funds out of the TRC budget and establishes an escrow account for the money.

HB 2463 passed out of the House Licensing and Administrative Procedures Committee and has been sent to Calendars; companion bill SB 1998 is pending in the Water and Rural Affairs Committee.  This bill will create purse funds.

As a side note, as of Tuesday afternoon lawmakers had filed a total of 7,319 bills and passed 29 according to the Texas Tribune.

NOTES: Condolences go to the family of longtime horseman Robert Luttrell of Arlington, who recently passed away. Four years ago this week, the Luttrell’s homebred Promise Me Silver made it two years in a row that a Texas-bred won the Eight Belles Stakes (G3) on the Kentucky Oaks undercard.