(Saturday, August 27, 2005) - Sam Houston Race Park hosted trials on August 12 for the $74,501 Dixie Stallion Stakes Futurity (RG3). Jody Pops Little Sis ($3.40) was the fastest qualifier and returned with a gallant effort in the final this evening. Alfonso Lujan rode the daughter of Jody O Toole to victory, closing with authority and crossing the wire of the 350-yard stakes in a final time of :17.876.

Owned and bred by Gary Kurz of San Antonio, Jody Pops Little Sis is trained by Bobby Martinez and has now won three of her four career starts. She looked like she had her work cut out for her this evening as she bobbled out of the gate and was trailing Sixy Injun, but found her stride and surged to victory by a neck.

“She was a little tardy getting away from the gate, but once I got her going, she made it easy for me,” said Lujan. “She ran a good race.”

Martinez gives much of the credit to Jody Pops Little Sis’s dam, Gotta Pop Pop and was relieved that she ran such a good race in the final.

“She got hurt trying to get out of her stall today,” said Martinez. “She got a little banged up, but still ran a super race.”

Rider Alex Baldillez, Jr. had a good, clean break aboard Sixy Injun for trainer John Buchanan, but got caught at the wire by Jody Pops Little Sis.

"She ran a real super, super race,” said Baldillez. “I think what she did tonight is she just jumps the tracks where the horses make the circle. She just jumped and when she did that, she lost that momentum."

“I don't know why this horse and two-year-olds act like they're not broke because I know they are,” added Buchanan. “She'll probably be in the Dash For Cash, more than likely. She is just started to get better now. She's out of a thoroughbred mare that we won a stakes with here in Texas. She'll always get out there and run and let them catch her but she can run better, she's just looking at stuff. I think she'd run better in the daytime."

Jody Pops Little Sis, was sent off as the heavy favorite and paid $3.40 for the win. The 9-4 exacta returned $27.20 and Goin Invisible, at 37-1, ran third to key the $452.00 trifecta. Jess Mr Fashion, Fast Bluff, Rev the Injun, Delta Addiction, Jodys Victory Pop and Ra Flying Illegal completed the order of finish.

“Bobby’s done a very good job with this filly,” commented Kurz. “We’ve got her paid into the Harrah’s Futurity at Louisiana Downs.”

News and Notes

Trials were run earlier in the evening for the $111,400 Sam Houston Derby. The talented Si Puede kept her winning streak alive as she crossed the wire of the 440-yard trial in :21.585, the fastest time of 34 runners.

Si Puede has won four races this meeting, including three stakes for owner Lukin Gilliland and trainer Dave Correll. Jose Vega has ridden the 3-year-old filly to each of her four Sam Houston Race Park victories and looks for a good effort when she returns in two weeks for the final.

“She’s really unbelievable,” said Vega. “I tapped her two times and then she did the rest by herself. Dave didn’t want me to push her too much tonight. We had some tough horses in our trial, but she won it easily.”

The finals of the Sam Houston Derby will be run on Saturday, September 10.

Sam Houston Race Park
$111,400 Sam Houston Derby Trials
THREE-YEAR-OLDS 440 YARDS

*Track Record for 440 Yards: Invisible Injun :21.35- October 8, 1994