7/10/2010
(edited from Lone Star Park news release)
Texas-bred and Texas-sired horses were showcased at Lone Star Park on Saturday on the annual Stars of Texas Day card, which featured a pair of $100,000 divisions of the Texas Stallion Stakes and two races for Accredited Texas-breds.
Clarence Scharbauer Jr.’s homebred Coyote Legend, trained by Bret Calhoun, recorded his third stakes victory of the Lone Star meet with a win in the 13th running of the 1 1/16-mile, $75,000 Assault Stakes over a muddy main track. With regular rider Bobby Walker Jr. aboard, Coyote Legend broke a little awkwardly from the gate causing Walker to lose his footing in the irons.
"He went to charging the gate before it sprung and it was all I could do to stay on the horse,” said Walker. “I had no right stirrup, no nothing. I was just barely able to stay on.”
Walker quickly regained balance and allowed the bay son of Gold Legend to settle in nicely behind the early leaders through opening fractions of :23.58 and :47.31. He began to move in on the leaders approaching the half-mile marker and made a three-wide bid for the lead around the second turn. After seizing command of the lead through three-quarters of a mile in 1:11.72, Coyote Legend had enough left in the tank to hold off a solid stretch bid from runner-up Poltergeist, who finished a half-length back. Uncle Rose finished in third another four lengths back. The final time of the race was 1:43.56.
“Once I was able to get him gathered, everything worked out fine and he went about his business,” added Walker. "He kind of got to hanging just a little bit, but as that horse got to me by the sixteenth pole, he went back to running a little bit and they were not getting by after that. I was planning on that route pre-race, I just didn’t know I was going to have all that trouble just to stay on."
With the win, Coyote Legend improved his career record to seven wins from 12 starts and with the $45,000 winner’s share of the purse, increased his lifetime earnings to $300,636.
Coyote Legend paid $3.20, $2.40 and $2.20, Poltergeist returned $3.80 and $2.80, while Uncle Rose returned $2.60 to show. Mile Marker, April’s Picture, Royal Hay Patch, Wasko, Red Hot Quest, and Fudge Truffle completed the order of finish. Uncle Rose and April’s Picture ran as an entry.
N 2 Win Racing’s Hollye Lynne, also trained by Bret Calhoun, prevailed in an exciting stretch duel with even-money favorite No Other Tone to win by a nose in the 13th running of the $50,000 Valor Farm Stakes for fillies and mares over a good track.
Hollye Lynne, ridden by Lone Star Park all-time leading jockey Cliff Berry, set the early pace through fractions of :21.88 and :44.66, and had the lead turning for home when she had to hold off the determined drive of even-money favorite No Other Tone to win in an extremely close photo finish. Bred by Dr. David S. Taylor, the 6-year-old bay daughter of Uncle Abbie completed the six furlong-distance in 1:09.16.
“Jay (Calhoun’s assistant) told me she might be the speed in the race,” said Berry. “He said ‘just get out of there good and see where we’re at.’ She broke really well. She actually got to get by herself in the turn and rest a little bit. She ran hard down the straightaway. “
“I had my head down (at the wire) and I asked Chris (Landeros, rider of No Other Tone) and he said he didn’t know, and I sure didn’t know (who won)," added Berry.
“This is our 17th win, but it’s our first stakes win,” said N 2 Win Racing partner Gordon Jago, who was the coach of two Major Indoor Soccer League Dallas Sidekick’s championship teams. “And for all the group, it’s an incredible afternoon.”
With the victory, Hollye Lynne improved her career record to 13 wins from 48 starts and increased her lifetime earnings to $222,745 with the $30,000 winner’s share of the purse.
Hollye Lynne paid $10.60, $3.40 and $3.80; No Other Tone returned $2.80 and $3.00, and Formal Flyer paid $5.00 to show. Tin Top Cat, Deer Lassie, Dixie Dust, Blackie’s Crown, Joy’s Paradise, and She’s a Bond Girl completed the order of finish.
Simply Gone, owned by Bill and Denise Morrison and trained by Allen Milligan, was a convincing winner in the 9th running of the 5 ½- furlong, $100,000 Staunch Avenger division of the Texas Stallion Stakes for 2-year-old colts and geldings.
With Martin Escobar aboard, the chestnut son of Intimidator enjoyed a ground-saving trip while sitting behind early fractions of :21.48 and :44:85. With three rivals in front of him turning for home, Simply Gone exploited an opening along the rail on his way to recording a one-length victory. The final time was 1:05.39 over a good track. Finishing second was Alli’s Legend (by Gold Legend), and it was another head back to Pacheco (by Supreme Cat) in third.
“I just tried to follow Allen’s instructions,” said winning rider Martin Escobar. “He said to try to relax for the first part of the race because there’s a lot of speed. I just waited for room and the race went perfect for me. This horse is professional.”
With the win, Simply Gone improved his record to two wins from two starts and increased his career earnings to $72,180, with the $60,000 winner’s share. The new stakes winner was bred by Keith Asmussen.
Simply Gone paid $19.20, $8.20, $5.00, runner-up Alli’s Legend returned $22.40, $10.20, and Pacheco paid $4.60 for show. Completing the order of finish was Captain Olson, Powerfully, Tamtastic, Lonely Street, Swift Flyer, Valid Promise, Jazz Party, and Dewan Adieu. Pacheco and Valid Promise ran as an entry.
Heiligbrodt Racing Stable’s Fastation, trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden by Richard Eramia, was an impressive 3 ¾-length winner in the 9th running of the $100,000 Pan Zareta division of the Texas Stallion Stakes for 2-year-old fillies.
Fastation, a bay daughter of Lane’s End Texas stallion Valid Expectations, settled in behind the early leaders and fractions of :21.74,and :45.30, saved ground on the turn then charged to the lead along the rail at the quarter pole then drew away in deep stretch to stop the timer at 1:04.27 for the 5 ½ furlongs on a muddy track. Rush the Net (by Wimbledon) was the runner-up and the early leader Last Legend (by Gold Legend) finished third another three-quarters of a length back.
“She’s been very nice, very straight forward since she came into the barn,” said Asmussen. “We’ve had a lot of success with Valid Expectations’ fillies. She seems to be continuing that trend. She sure looked like she knew what she was doing. Richard gave her a good ride. She was very comfortable down in there and when the spot presented itself, she was good enough to take advantage of it.”
With the victory and the $60,000 winner’s share, Fastation earned her first win from four starts and increased her lifetime earnings to $80,618.
Intimidating Woman, part of the Asmussen-trained, 3-5 favorite entry with Far too Primal, stumbled badly while being bumped by Last Legend leaving the starting gate unseating Lone Star Park leading jockey Chris Landeros. After “getting the wind knocked out of him,” Landeros got up on his own and continued riding the rest of the card. Intimidating Woman appeared uninjured after running around the track riderless.
Fastation paid $12.20, $5.60 and $4.80, Rush the Net returned $8.80, $6.80 and Last Legend paid $5.30 for show. Completing the order of finish was Far too Primal, Princess Turandot, and She’s Olmos Heaven.