Joyful Victory gives Jones second record-setter of the evening in Houston Ladies

Joyful Victory gives Jones second record-setter of the

evening in Houston Ladies Classic

The public sent Joyful Victory off as the 3-2 favorite and she rewarded that

backing with payouts of $5, $2.80 and $2.40.

Brushed by a Star, queen of the Grade 2 Molly Pitcher and a head victress in

the Grade 2 Chilukki Handicap over Joyful Victory last season, ran a game second.

Sisterly Love, who was making her stakes bow, suffered her first loss from four

career starts when running third in this spot. Next under the wire were She's

All In and Lookinforchange.

Rider Miguel Mena lost his irons aboard Summer Applause,

who was making her first start since running in the Kentucky Oaks last May, and

the duo wound up last.

Trainer Larry Jones has always had high hopes for Joyful Victory, who sports

the silks of Fox Hill Farms. The gray daughter of Tapit romped when taking the Grade 3

Honeybee and Grade 2 Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn Park before running fourth in the

2011 Kentucky Oaks. Next out she was second in the Grade 1 Mother Goose but

tired to fifth and last in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks and was given

the rest of the year off.

Joyful Victory never finished worse than third last season as a four-year-old,

taking the Tiffany Lass at Fair Grounds in February and placing in five graded

events, including the Grade 1 Zenyatta and just missing in the Chilukki.

Jones was thrilled with his filly's return to the winner's circle Saturday

evening, which improved her career record to 16-5-5-3, $910,679.

"The plan was to get her to relax; not to fight her and

just let her run," Jones said, before adding about his second track record

of the evening, "I can't take credit for setting two track

records; Rosie had everything to do with that. But if there was one I really

wanted, it was this race."

In addition to setting a track record in the Houston Ladies Classic, Jones and Napravnik teamed up

earlier on the card to best the previous record for five furlongs on the firm

turf in the $75,000

Champion

Energy Services with Icon Ike.

That four-year-old son of Yes It's True edged

Chamberlain Bridge in a tight photo in a final time of :56.48 seconds, besting

the previous record of :56.81 set by Charming Socialite in 2006.

"He got there in the last jump," Jones said. "That was an

amazing finish."

Both Icon Ike and Chamberlain Bridge bided their time in the rear of the

10-horse field before putting in their runs late while wide. The dark bay Icon

Ike just got his nose down on the wire first, denying 2010 Breeders' Cup Turf

Sprint hero Chamberlain Bridge a second win at Sam Houston.

This was the first score since July for Carolyn and Fletcher Gray's homebred Icon Ike, who was a

fast-closing second last month in the Bonapaw Stakes at Fair Grounds. He now

boasts $250,544 in career earnings and owns a scorecard that reads 15-6-2-3.

Chamberlain Bridge was impressive in defeat, as was his entry-mate Canuletmedowneasy,

who ran third.

"He's a very smart horse and has run so well for many

years," trainer Bret Calhoun noted about the nine-year-old gelding.

Calhoun captured the first stakes of the evening with Gary and Mary West's

homebred Tour Guide in the $50,000

Allen's Landing for

three-year-olds. The Broken Vow

colt came three wide on the turn after stalking the early pace in third and

proved best by a half-length under Mena.

Tour Guide held off a late surge from Hardrock

Eleven to complete seven furlongs in 1:23 on the dirt. In the process, the bay

colt earned his second straight stakes win after taking the Sugar Bowl on

December 22 at Fair Grounds, and bumped his lifetime mark to 6-4-1-0, $125,050.

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