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Lone Star to host six stakes on Memorial Day Lone Star Park will honor the Memorial Day holiday with a six-stakes extravaganza on Monday. In the marquee event, the $400,000 Lone Star Park H. (G3), eight older horses will come to grips over 1 1/16 miles. Trainer Steve Asmussen is responsible for no fewer than three of them, with his primary hope being ZANJERO (Cherokee Run), the co-highweight at 118 pounds. Earlier in his career, Zanjero earned a reputation as the type of horse who was content to settle for minor awards. After placing in a string of graded events, including the Blue Grass S. (G1), Louisiana Derby (G2) and Remsen S. (G2), the late runner finally broke through with a determined, photo-finish score in the West Virginia Derby (G3) last August. Zanjero concluded his sophomore campaign on a high, rolling to a 3 1/2-length victory in the Indiana Derby (G2). He made his seasonal reappearance in the Texas Mile S. (G3) here at a trip a bit short for him, and although he was no match for the runaway Monterey Jazz (Thunderello), Zanjero checked in a clear second. The four-year-old should move forward off that effort, especially with the added ground in this spot. Shaun Bridgmohan will be back aboard. Asmussen's other two entrants are multiple stakes winner BETA CAPO (Langfuhr), who is coming off a third to Monterey Jazz and Zanjero in the Texas Mile, and the five-times stakes-placed ENCAUSTIC (Broad Brush), who came within a neck of taking the Fifth Season S. at Oaklawn Park last time out. Beta Capo is cross-entered to the Dallas Turf Cup H. (G3) earlier on the program. The most serious challenge to the Asmussen juggernaut is GIANT GIZMO (Giant's Causeway), the other 118-pound co-highweight. Trained by Bobby Frankel, the chestnut enters this contest on the improve and is riding a two-race winning streak. A sharp allowance/optional claiming scorer at Santa Anita in February, Giant Gizmo next appeared in the Alysheba S. (G3) on Kentucky Oaks Day and swept to an impressive tally. Garrett Gomez will pilot the four-year-old, who boasts a perfect three-for-three record at the distance. Todd Pletcher will be represented by last year's Illinois Derby (G2) hero COWTOWN CAT (Distorted Humor), who faded to third in his 2008 bow in the recent Timeless Native S. at Arlington Park. STELLA MARK (Benchmark), flying the flag for California, is exiting a victory in the Tiznow S. versus state-breds on Gold Rush Day. Two of the top contenders in the $200,000 Dallas Turf Cup, in addition to the aforementioned Beta Capo, are exiting the Texas Mile on the main track. GOING BALLISTIC (Lite the Fuse) and SCRAPPY ROO (Roo Art), the respective fourth and fifth in the Texas Mile, will try to revive their fortunes by reverting to the grass. Going Ballistic, who garnered last year's Super Derby (G2) on the dirt, captured the U.S.A. S. on the Lone Star turf last Memorial Day, and his resume also includes placings in the grassy American Derby (G2) and Secretariat S. (G1). Two starts back, the Donnie Von Hemel charge clashed with a high-flying Scrappy Roo in the John B. Connally Turf H. (G3) and went down by a head. In the process, Scrappy Roo extended his winning streak to five. The pair will renew rivalry as 116-pound co-highweights in this 1 1/8-mile affair. Also notable in the nine-horse field are Argentinean champion STORM MILITARY (Arg) (Bernstein), a Frankel trainee who was fourth in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile H. (G1) two starts ago; stakes winner and Grade 2-placed JAZZ QUEST (Jambalaya Jazz) from the Tom Amoss barn; CHURCH SERVICE (Pulpit), who has finished second in the San Luis Obispo H. (G2) and Tokyo City H. (G3) in his two outings since being claimed by Mike Mitchell; and Connally third EIGHTEENTHOFMARCH (Wild Event). Frankel arguably holds a stronger hand in the companion contest, the $200,000 Ouija Board Distaff H. (G3), courtesy of COSTUME (GB) (Danehill). The Juddmonte Farms homebred has been assigned the top weight of 119 pounds in the wake of gritty scores in the Buena Vista H. (G2) and Santa Ana H. (G2). The bay has drawn post 10 in the 11-horse field, however, and Gomez will have to figure out a way to minimize ground loss. Six-time stakes heroine BROWNIE POINTS (Forest Wildcat) is stuck out in post 11. Runner-up to Lady of Venice (Fr) (Loup Solitaire) in last year's running of the Ouija Board, the Von Hemel mare has been facing some of the elite members of her division on the dirt. Brownie Points finished second to Hystericalady (Distorted Humor) in the Azeri S. (G3) in her first start of 2008, and next time out, she was second to Zenyatta (Street Cry [Ire]) in the Apple Blossom H. (G1), defeating champion Ginger Punch (Awesome Again). Grade 3 queen SUPER FREAKY (Smart Strike), most recently promoted to third in the about 6 1/2-furlong Las Cienegas H. (G3), will stretch out to one mile here for trainer Doug O'Neill. Other threats include multiple stakes victress CANDY BALL (Lemon Drop Kid), exiting a seventh in the super-tough Jenny Wiley S. (G2); FOREST MELODY (Forest Camp), a close fourth in the Santa Barbara H. (G2) last time out; and TEARS I CRY (Chester House), an emphatic winner of the local prep, the Irving Distaff S. Turf sophomores will get their turn in the $100,000 U.S.A. S. at 1 1/16 miles. Transylvania S. (G3) star BOSS LAFITTE (Dynaformer) will bid to bounce back after his sixth-place effort on yielding ground in the Crown Royal American Turf S. (G3) on Kentucky Oaks Day. Among his nine rivals are Asmussen's stakes scorer ABLAZE WITH SPIRIT (American Spirit), who finished second to eventual Lane's End S. (G2) victor Adriano (A.P. Indy) the last time he raced on the grass, and several alumni of the Grand Prairie Turf Challenge S., including runner-up CAPE TIME (Cape Canaveral) and third-placer BULLET BREW (Milwaukee Brew). Boss Lafitte and Ablaze with Spirit will each shoulder the top weight of 120 pounds. The remaining two contests are main-track sprints. The Von Hemel-trained EUPHONY (Forest Wildcat) will try to advance her mark to a perfect four-for-four while tackling six foes in the $100,000 Cinemine S. for three-year-old fillies. So far, the dark bay has raced exclusively at Oaklawn, where she smoothly handled the transition to stakes company in the Instant Racing S. in her latest venture. She will cut back in distance to seven furlongs in this spot. Euphony ranks as the co-highweight at 123 pounds along with multiple stakes winner SKY MOM (Maria's Mon), who reported home fourth in the Instant Racing. Older distaffers will dash six furlongs in the $100,000 Valid Expectations S. Asmussen will saddle two of the six entrants, multiple stakes vixens STEALTH CAT (Magic Cat) and TRES DREAM (Chester House), while seven-time stakes queen WRENICE (Uncle Abbie) wheels back on nine days' rest after a rousing allowance romp for Randy Mayfield.
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