(Grand Prairie, Texas - Friday, November 8, 2013) - Lone Star Park wraps up its 16th Fall Meeting of Champions racing season on Saturday, November 9. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. Post time for the first of 12 live races is 6:35 p.m.

Featured is the 21st running of the $1 Million Grade 1, Texas Classic Futurity. At 400 yards, it is the richest horse race in the state, and the premier race for two-year-old American Quarter Horses at the meet.

Fastest qualifier, Skuze Pleeze has been made the morning line favorite at 9-5, and it’s no surprise given the performance he put in during his trial three weeks ago. In the final trial of the night, with G. R. Carter Jr. in the irons, the gelding by Dashing Bye broke out and bumped at the start, but halfway through the race, hit another gear and left the others two lengths behind at the wire.

Skuze Pleeze has a career record of 6-4-1-0 and earnings of $186,634. He is owned by Joe L. Mills of Broken Bow, Oklahoma and trained by Tana Pace. Jockey G. R. Carter, Jr. will again have the mount.

Trainer Trey Wood has two qualifiers in the race. Especially Tres and Big Biz Perry are the two top money earners in the field.

Especially Tres, a filly by Dashair was undefeated this year until her fourth place finish in the All American Futurity on September 2. She has won four of six lifetime starts earning $360,380. She is owned by Jim D. Pitts of Burkburnett, Texas and will be ridden by Eddi Emanuel Martinez.

Jose R. Espinosa's Big Biz Perry is the other Trey Wood trainee. The Mr Jess Perry filly has four wins from six career starts and earnings of $397,350. She won the Heritage Place Futurity at Remington Park last June. Jockey Rickey Ramirez will ride.

Another qualified by jockey G. R. Carter, Jr. was Kates Dynasty. The filly by Fdd Dynasty, posted the second fastest time in the trials. Jockey L. Salvador Martinez has been given the riding assignment.

Here is the entire field from the rail out, with jockey and morning line odds listed in parentheses: Kates Dynasty (L. Salvador Martinez, 5-2); Mister Big (Rodrigo Sigala Vallejo, 5-2); Won to Watch (Luis L. Vivanco, 12-1); Hes Relentless (Cody R. Smith, 10-1); Houdini (Cody Jensen, 5-1); Cornado Cartel (Jimmy Dean Brooks, 10-1); Especially Tres (Eddie Emanuel Martinez, 8-1); Skuze Pleeze (G. R. Carter, Jr., 9-5); Cr Tuckernuck (Berkley R. Packer, 20-1) and Big Biz Perry (Ricky Ramirez, 12-1).

The $1 Million Grade 1, Texas Classic Derby is the scheduled 11th race on the 12-race card Saturday. Approximate post time is 10:35 p.m.

Captain Strawfly Heads $304,355 Grade 1 Texas Classic Derby

Also featured is the 21st running of the $304,355 Grade 1, Texas Classic Derby. Race 10 of the 12 scheduled, post time for the Derby is 10:11 p.m.

Poised to become the third horse in history to win both the Dash for Cash Derby and the Texas Classic Derby during Lone Star Park's Fall Meeting of Champions is Captain Strawfly. Only two horses have won both races during a meet, Dashing Perfection in 1997 and Oak Tree Special in 2003.

With a record of 11-6-1-1 and earnings of $163,439, Captain Strawfly, a gelding by Captain Courage, is a perfect 3-3 for the meet. He is owned by Vicente Contreras and trained by Anna Marie Crowson. He will be ridden by Manuel Gutierrez.

As an added bonus to bettors, Captain Strawfly will run as a coupled entry with stable mate Rc Tres Times Seis. Also owned by Vicente Contreras and trained by Anna Crowson, this gelding by Tres Seis is still seeking his first win here for the meet. He qualified for and ran in the Dash for Cash Derby earlier this season, but the winners circle has eluded him. Jockey Tanner Thedford ships in from Zia Park for the mount.

Fastest qualifier, Jody Pops Zoomer is the morning line 3-1 second choice. Owned by Gary and Randal Kurz, the homebred gelding by Zoomin for Bux won his trial by an impressive 1 ¾ lengths. He was second in the Nevill Document Solutions Stakes here on September 13. Jockey Luis L. Vivanco will ride for trainer Toby Keeton.

The field for the 21st running of the $394,306 Grade 1, Texas Classic Derby is as follows: Rc Tres Times Seis (Tanner Thedford, 9-5); Captain Strawfly (Manuel Gutierrez, 9-5); Dashin Brown Streak (Cody Jensen, 5-1); Lota Pyc (G. R. Carter, Jr., 15-1); Rockin Disco (Ricky Ramirez, 12-1); One Handsome Man (Oscar Rincon, 12-1); Specialscountrychick (Jorge Torres, 15-1); Jetblack Gold Moment (Danny J. Lavergne, 9-2); Dash Master Jess (Rodrigo Sigala Vallejo (15-1) and Jody Pops Zoomer (Luis L. Vivanco, 3-1).

AQHA Racing Ace Martha Claussen on Hand Saturday

Martha Claussen will make a visit to Lone Star Park on Saturday, November 9 on behalf of the AQHA Racing Aces. Claussen has served as the coordinator of the Quarter Horse fan education initiative since June, 2010. She will join Lone Star Park handicapper Rick Lee for a televised handicapping preview show at 5:30 p.m. on the first floor of the Grandstand. They will discuss the entire card with in-depth analysis of the Texas Classic Futurity and Derby. Claussen will remain in the Grandstand throughout the evening to answer questions from fans on Quarter Horse handicapping. AQHA will provide complimentary fan education materials as well as giveaway items.

Saturday is Fan Appreciation Night!

Not only is Lone Star Park’s 2013 Fall Meeting of Champions concluding Saturday with a great night of racing, it's also going to be a great night of giveaways because it's Fan Appreciation Night! All fans attending Lone Star Park on Saturday can enter for free to win cash prizes, gift cards and much more! Just deposit your entry form you will receive upon admission by the 7:00 pm deadline for your opportunity to win. Drawings will be held throughout the night.

Other News of Note: Lone Star Park saw significant increases in attendance and handle for the 2013 Breeders' Cup Simulcast this past weekend, Friday and Saturday, November 1 and 2. On-track attendance for those two dates combined was the highest two-day total for Breeders' Cup here since 2008 (the first year of two-day Breeders' Cup Championships) and a 13% increase from last year. All Sources Handle for the two-day period was up 19.7% from 2012.

At the Track: Through the end of racing Thursday, November 7, Jockey Francisco Calderon has the lead in the standings with 19 wins over Ricky Ramirez with 17 ... Trainer Trey Wood is holding steady on the lead with 16 wins over Judd Kearl with 13 ... Owner Bobby D. Cox is atop with five wins over Douglas Traylor, Bullard Farms and Fulton Quien Sabe Ranches, which are all tied with four wins each.