LONE
STAR NOTEBOOK
OCTOBER 7
by Bernard T. Moore
The first line of a popular song goes something like
this, “When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are.” That is certainly true, even if you’re just a ‘Lone
Star’ and your only wish is to play host to a Breeders’ Cup. That
dream becomes a reality later this month for Lone Star Park,
which is situated in Grand Prairie, Texas.
The relatively new facility will take center stage for one
glorious day of racing on October 30 as the entire world of
Thoroughbred racing looks on. Hosting the Breeders’ Cup has
always been a primary objective for this track, which is located
in a Dallas suburb, ever since it held its first race back in April of 1997.
With the Breeders’ Cup coming to town in 2004, Lone Star Park
elected to hold a 19-day fall meet that runs until October 31
with the Thoroughbred World Championships its obvious focal point.
The track has adopted a Thursday through Sunday live racing
schedule with night-time racing to be conducted every Thursday
and Friday, with first post scheduled for 6:35 p.m. (CT). On
weekends, racing switches to the afternoons, with the first post
each day slated to begin at 1:35 p.m. Afternoon racing will be
the order of the day during Breeders’ Cup week, as The
International Jockey Championship kicks off the festivities on
October 28 with a special 1:35 p.m. post time.
In an attempt to produce a meet of high quality, Lone Star
Park has earmarked nearly $240,000 in purse money that will be
distributed on a daily basis. This is in addition to moving some
of its more high profile races to the fall in order to bolster
daily programs in the days leading up to the Breeders’ Cup. Such
staples as the Stars of Texas Day for state-breds, the
International Jockey Championship and the $250,000 Lone Star
Derby (G3), usually run during the spring meet, was delayed for
the first ever Thoroughbred meet to be run in the fall at Lone
Star Park.
The opening night card featured the Silver Spur Breeders’ Cup
S., and ultimately may have showcased a Breeders’ Cup participant.
There was advanced hype concerning post time favorite ENDURING
WILL (Arch) off an ultra impressive win at Louisiana Downs.
Trained by Albert Stall, she certainly ran to her top billing,
registering her initial stakes victory over a distance of ground.
Departing from an extreme outside post, the two-year-old filly
raced well behind the early pace, settling into stride under
jockey Lonnie Meche. She began to level off nicely midway down
the backstretch under only modest encouragement while racing
widest of all. Enduring Will then proceeded to reel in her
competition with ultimate ease and put her head in front once the
field reached the far turn. The question was not if she would
win, but by how much. Enduring Will easily distanced
herself from her competition in the stretch, winning by 10 widening lengths. It may be a bit premature to ask
her to take on Grade 1 competition at this juncture in her
career, but it certainly is tempting.
The $100,000 Alysheba Breeders’ Cup S. on Saturday was the
first weekend stakes of the Lone Star fall meet. Like the Silver
Spur the previous night, it was billed as having Breeders’ Cup
implications as well. On paper, the race was BWANA CHARLIE’s (Indian
Charlie) to lose. Winner of Saratoga’s Amsterdam S. (G2) in
August, the sophomore looked to have the competition at his mercy.
That was not the case as it turned out, and it is probably the
reason horses have to run around the track prior to being awarded
victory.
After the dust had cleared late Saturday afternoon, the three-year-old
Texas-bred gelding CHARMING SOCIALITE (Sunny’s Halo) out-finished
the overwhelming favorite for his initial stakes win on dirt in a
stunning upset. Badly outrun early, the William Pettit trainee
began leveling off on the far turn while closing on the best
part of the track. As the field turned for home, he continued to
sustain his powerful late run, which was good enough to propel
him past the favorite in deep stretch. Although Charming
Socialite had demonstrated an affinity for the Lone Star Park
surface in the past, he surpassed the expectations of his
connections, who were merely hoping for an on the board finish,
when outrunning his long odds. Bwana Charlie had no visible
excuse, a sentiment echoed by jockey Donnie Meche after the race.
In Sunday’s stakes action, LEAVING ON MY MIND (Valid
Expectations) captured the Middleground S. with a well-judged
ride from jockey Roman Chapa. Rating nicely off a contested pace,
the Texas-bred gelding was guided outside of rivals for the
stretch run, proceeded to wear down READY RULER (More Than Ready)
and edge away late. The runner-up acquitted himself quite well in
defeat, despite racing along the deeper inside. This Vinery
homebred had the appearance of a winner in the stretch, however,
the fact that he has a tendency to wait once making the lead, in
addition to running on the worst part of the course, contributed
to his defeat as well.
The other stakes race Sunday was the Yellow Rose for fillies
and mares on grass at 1 1/16 miles. MY MISTY PRINCESS (Acceptable),
a 53-1 rank outsider, crossed the wire first, but unfortunately
for her supporters had her number taken down for interfering with
QUEENA CORRINA (Here We Come) in the stretch and was placed
fourth. Another unlucky participant in the Yellow Roses was
JANEIAN (NZ) (The Jogger), who was bottled up racing along the inside
on the far turn. Once jockey Monte Berry got clear sailing for
her, she finished well to just miss the place.
With the Lone Star meet just three days old, Steve Asmussen
leads the trainer standings, primarily employing jockeys Donnie
Meche and Chapa to reach the top spot. Bret Calhoun is hot on his
heels, while spreading the wealth a little bit, using Jamie
Theriot, Berry, C. Lambert as well as Hall of Fame rider Pat Day,
who rode on the opening night card.
Berry leads all jockeys, riding winners for Cody Autrey,
Calhoun, Martin Lozano and Danny Pish. There are a host of riders
in close pursuit of Berry, including Jeremy Beasley. Beasley is
particularly noteworthy because his three winners paid $62.80, $13.40,
and $44.80. His mounts bear watching regardless what the tote
board reads.
There appeared to be no distinctive running style bias over
the main track, although speed runners did well on Saturday. The
turf course was a completely different story as closers did
extremely well. The lone exception was an odds-on wire-to-wire
winner who benefited from a soft pace while racing unchallenged
on the lead. The outside paths on the main track were advantaged
to varying degrees during the first three days of the meet, and
those runners trapped along the rail bear watching in subsequent
starts.
HORSES TO WATCH
Friday (10/1)
2ND – ANISSINA (Tory Hole) showed a dramatic reversal in form
making her first start for Autrey, exhibiting new-found speed to
dispute the early pace along a deep rail. She disposed of the
pace pressure with ease and maintained a safe advantage to the
wire while under only modest encouragement late. Can handle
winners in her next start if properly spotted. Bred on both sides
to handle a route of ground as well.
3RD – TOO TOO CRAFTY (Crafty Prospector) ran very well for
third in his well-bet/well-meant debut for Asmussen. Taken back
to rate off the early pace down the backstretch when unable to
gain the lead, the juvenile rated kindly off the pace while
racing toward the deeper inside. Pinned down along the rail
in the stretch, he angled toward the outside looking for
racing room and attempted to rally. The colt was forced to
steady slightly in deep stretch as the winner swerved out a bit,
costing him the place late. Too Too Crafty is bred to win early
and handle a track with moisture. Fits well at the 25K state-bred
level.
8TH – SILVER PEAGUS (Excellent Secret) was a tad short off a
brief freshening for trainer Dallas Keen. He was relegated to
dispute a lively pace from a bad rail and seven furlongs may not
be his best distance. The gray should benefit from this effort
and a cut back to six furlongs.
Saturday (10/2)
5TH – SLEW CITY CHARMER (Seattle Slew) outran his nearly
double-digit odds for low-profile connections with a fast closing
runner-up finish. Had the misfortune to meet a Autrey
dropdown winner, who was loose on the lead while setting a modest
pace. Still managed to finish strongly in the stretch, reducing
his deficit with every stride. Two of his three turf wins have
come at Lone Star, and 1 1/16 miles fits him like a glove.
6TH – CLIFF NOTES (Kayrawan) sorely needed his return effort
off a claim, as he had not raced since August 1 at Saratoga. He raced a bit lethargically away from the gate and was hustled to
dispute the early pace along the rail. Dispatched as the
overwhelming favorite, he eventually bumped with another rival
while placed in tight quarters along the rail. Continued on to
argue the pace before beginning to retreat on the far turn, still
racing toward the inside. Fits extremely well at this level and
probably prefers to rate and make one run.
Sunday (10/2)
2ND – T TIME (Lil E. Tee) broke a bit slowly leaving the gate
after being bumped and knocked sideways, which caused him to lose
valuable ground. Guided to the dead rail, the sophomore was then
tentatively handled along the inside. He was set down around the
far turn and finished with some interest late while not being
abused. Worked sharply in the morning prior to this effort, and
should definitely move forward in second start off a layoff. Look
for the addition of blinkers or a slight drop in class in his
next start, as this Cascio-trained runner owns more ability than
he demonstrated in this race.
6TH – GRUGLY (Excellent Secret) received extremely generous early action on the
tote board, signaling impending improvement on dirt. Despite a well-beaten fifth
place finish in his lone main track effort, the Calhoun-trained
three-year-old broke
alertly to duel head and head for the lead with the odds-on
winner while forced to race along a deep rail. Continued on well
once displaced on the lead but no match for the winner. The final
three-sixteenths of a mile was completed in under 18 seconds by
the runaway victor.