Texas Air upsets Texas Mile

At odds of 24-1, Texas Air (Texas City) prevailed in the 19th running of

the Texas Mile

(G3) Saturday night at Lone Star Park over the fast main track. 

Rise Up (Rockport Harbor) went straight to the lead from the gate with

6-5 favorite Sr. Quisqueyano (Exclusive Quality) taking up the second place position, and that's how it

played out through the second turn where Sr. Quisqueyano tired.

Texas Air settled

in nicely off the pace into the backstretch, went four wide in the second turn,

then rallied into the final furlong making a bid at the sixteenth-pole and

scored under strong urging from jockey Quincy Hamilton.

Hip Four Sixtynine (Southern Image) settled

in behind Texas Air, swung five wide into the stretch, rallied

under a drive and closed well to just get up for place, a neck in front of Rise

Up on the wire.

"The race was really put together for me, and all I did was

point him in the right direction," Hamilton said. "We got clear at the top of

the stretch, and I knew I was really well mounted at the top and just ran it on

home. I couldn't have been more confident in him tonight for sure."

Bred and owned by Paul J. Rigali Jr. of Eustace, Texas,

the seven-year-old gelding was one of only two Texas-bred horses

in the race. He finished the mile in 1:37 1/5 to return $51.40 to his few, but

faithful, backers.

"Let's hear it for Texas!" Rigali exclaimed after the

race.

The Texas Mile win upped Texas Air's career earnings

to $341,774 and improved his career mark to 39-8-11-4.

"He just gets better with age," trainer Allen

Milligan asserted. "The older he gets, the better he gets. Quincy rode him

perfect. He did everything exactly like I asked him to do it. It was perfect."

Texas Air is the first registered foal, and stakes winner, out of Malaysian

Air (Mizzen Mast). His third dam is Chilean champion Via Sixtina (Roy).

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