LONE
STAR NOTEBOOK
October 14
by Bernard T. Moore
The second week of the Lone Star Park Fall brought about a
slight change to the racing schedule. Live racing will now be
conducted four days a week, on a Thursday through Sunday basis.
With the Breeders’ Cup the obvious focal point of the first ever
Fall Thoroughbred meet at Lone Star Park, no stakes races were
carded over the past weekend.
Lone Star management, with an intent on strengthening their
product as the Breeders’ Cup draws nearer, have elected to delay
such signature events as the Stars of Texas Day for state-breds,
and the $250,000 Lone Star Derby (G3) for later in the meet.
Speaking of the Breeders’ Cup, many connections are still on
the fence as to the status concerning their Breeders’ Cup
hopefuls. However, trainer Steve Asmussen recently stated that
Cuvee (Carson City) is a definite starter for the Breeders’ Cup
Sprint (G1), and his top filly, Lady Tak (Mukaddamah), is under
serious consideration for the race as well.
In other Breeders’ Cup news, Lone Star Park officials have
become aware that many of the European runners looking to compete
in the Thoroughbred World Championships will be on board a
chartered flight that is scheduled to touch down at Dallas
airport on October 25. A separate plane carrying trainer Aidan
O’Brien’s contingent has been booked, and those runners should be
settling in on the Lone Star Park backstretch the weekend prior
to the Breeders’ Cup.
Let’s recap last week’s action at the Grand Prairie oval.
The main track, when it was dry, played favorably to runners
sitting just off the early pace in sprints. Front-running speed
was more dominant around two turns, and on Sunday, when the
course was labeled sloppy, nearly all the winners raced on or
near the lead, which one usually expects over a wet track. There
did not appear to be any path biases for the entire week.
Closers prevailed more frequently on grass, mirroring the
results from opening week. The two contradictory results on the
turf was a winner who stalked the early pace in a five-furlong
turf sprint, and a wire-to-wire victor over an extremely soft
turf course on Sunday after the rains came.
A slew of riders are fighting for the top spot in the jockey
standings, including Roman Chapa, Donnie Meche, C. Lambert, Monte
Berry and Jeremy Beasley. Chapa has registered victories for five
different trainers, including Danny Pish and Asmussen. D. Meche’s
main source of winners is Asmussen, while Berry has ridden
winners for Cody Autrey, Bret Calhoun and Martin Lozano. Five
pound apprentice Amanda Crandall came alive over the past
weekend, and as a result, finds her name on the leader board as
well.
Asmussen tops the trainer standings, with Calhoun, Pish and
Autrey giving chase. Other trainers worthy of mention are William
Pettit and Jack Bruner, who are doing extremely well from a
limited number of starters. Bruner’s winners have come off
layoffs and with a first timer, and he’s captured two grass
races. Pettit’s stock have all raced recently at Retama, and he
primarily uses jockey Larry Taylor to find the winner’s circle.
HORSES TO WATCH
Thursday (10/7)
3rd — SUPERIOR DEPUTY, a good third in well bet/well meant
debut, finished with interest in an abbreviated sprint to a pair
of properly spotted class droppers. Fits at this $25,000 claiming
level and might appreciate a bit more distance in her next start.
7th — SON OF A LUE showed no ill effects off a layoff,
returning to wire $20,000 claimers off the Autrey claim in an
extremely fast time. May be able to step up in class off this win
if properly spotted in his next start.
Friday (10/8)
2nd — TOUGHONETOBEAT displayed a dramatic form reversal in
turf debut. Set a pressured pace and held determinedly to finish
third in a blanket photo finish.
9th — ALLI’S DREAM ran a sharp second at long odds switching
back to Lone Star’s grass. Held well dictating the pace over a
course that has not been favorable to early speed, and she’s run
well from off the Lone Star grass course in the past.
Saturday (10/9)
3rd — TEN FORTY EASY finished a good second for Asmussen off
more than a year layoff. Forced to chase a superior speed rival,
he disposed of the early pacesetter but could not contain a
winner who benefited from a good trip. Needs only time to recoup
from this taxing effort and proper placing to find the winner’s
circle.
6th — MS DEEP COVER was well backed at the mutuel windows for
trainer Bob Young. Broke a tad lethargically from the gate and
was then forced to race wide on the far turn and into the
stretch, finishing third in a creditable showing. Her sire is not
known for getting many debut winners. Both siblings are winners,
one at two. Ms Deep Cover should have derived beneficial
conditioning and experience from this effort.
Sunday (10/10)
6TH — PLATINUM BALLET – Extremely impressive in Lone Star
Park debut. Overcame a sloppy speed biased course to rally from
off the pace and won drawing clear. Can handle the jump to the
next level, especially if the course contains even the slightest
hint of moisture.