Lone Star notebook 10-7

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.