Printer Friendly Page 

Rose to Gold faces sharp Cassatt in Houston Ladies Classic

Rose to Gold turned in a mild upset in the 2014 Houston Ladies Classic (Sam Houston/Coady Photography) Perhaps a return to Sam Houston might turn things around for Rose to Gold (Friends Lake), who will defend her title in Saturday's $400,000 Houston Ladies Classic. The 1 1/16-mile event for fillies and mares anchors the richest day of racing at the track, which also includes three other stakes including the $200,000 John B. Connally Turf Cup (G3). A 1 1/2-length score in the 2014 Ladies Classic was the perfect antidote for Rose to Gold, who had gone unplaced in her prior three outings. This time the five-year-old mare enters on a streak of four races where she's failed to hit the board. Indeed, last year's victory has been the only bright spot for the chestnut since her back-to-back wins in the Fantasy (G3) and Honeybee (G3) in early 2013. The Larry Jones-trained speedball Cassatt (Tapit) is an obvious threat after blowout wins in the Tiffany Lass at Fair Grounds and the Zia Park Oaks in her past two outings. The four-year-old earned her most prestigious win last summer when taking the Monmouth Oaks (G3) for owner Rick Porter, who won the inaugural running of this event in 2013 with Joyful Victory.

Other notables in the Ladies Classic are Shannon Nicole (Majestic Warrior), who captured the Indiana Grand and Remington Park Oaks before finishing third as the favorite in the Zia Park Oaks; Kiss to Remember, the Grade 3-placed daughter of Big Brown who exits a win in the off-the-turf Pago Hop at Fair Grounds; and Angelica Zapata (Sharp Humor), a multiple stakes winner on the South Florida circuit.

The Connally Turf Cup at 1 1/8 miles features Coalport (Kitten's Joy), a multiple stakes winner for Eclipse Award-winning owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey. Benwill (Leestown), who was elevated to first in the $75,000 Unbridled at Louisiana Downs in September after the disqualification of Coalport, also figures.

Other leading contenders are Bim Bam (Deputy Wild Cat), Daddy's Kid (Scat Daddy), and Dreams Cut Short (Belong to Me).

The noted Louisiana-bred dragster Heitai (Fusaichi Pegasus) will likely be a heavy favorite in the $75,000 Turf Sprint, sponsored by Frontier Utilities. First or second in 20 of 26 career starts, the gelding just missed against Delaunay in the January 3 Bonapaw at Fair Grounds, but brings a two-for-two grass record into Saturday's five-furlong dash.

The $50,000 Allen's Landing, for three-year-olds at seven furlongs, features Fox Hill's Exodus (Medaglia d'Oro), an 8 1/4-length maiden winner at Fair Grounds on January 4. Also in are Fusaichi Flame (Fusaichi Pegasus), runner-up in the Big Drama at Delta Downs earlier this month, and recent Fair Grounds allowance scorer Waging War (War Front).

Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com

More Racing Headlines:

Miss Temple City earns hard-fought victory in Matriarch

Annals of Time captures first stakes win in Hollywood Derby

Penn Derby upgraded to Grade 1 for 2017

Miss Temple City headlines Del Mar's closing-day Matriarch

Trio of graded stakes on tap Saturday

Send this article to a friend