(Saturday, November 29, 2008) - Dmnv Mountable, owned by Toby Dahl and Ezra Lee, and trained by Jacque Uphaus, won the 16th running of the $383,756, Grade 1 Texas Classic Derby, for three-year-olds, over a fast track at Lone Star Park on Saturday night.

Ridden by Alex Baldillez, Jr., the bay son of Panther Mountain broke with alacrity and finished with focus to record the victory by a head over the charging Heath Taylor-trained Coronas Leaving You, who drifted out badly approaching the wire. The final time for the 440-yard distance was 21.507 for a speed index of 98. The Paul Ramirez-conditioned Romancing Mary finished half-a-length behind in third.

“He usually has trouble coming out of the gate and I thought he might have bobbled a little tonight at the start, “said winning trainer Jacques Uphaus. “But after that, he ran a really strong race.”

“He’s one of the most special two-year-olds I ever rode, and I rode for 33 years,” said winning rider Alex Baldillez, Jr. “I had my head down and I wasn’t looking,” explained the rider about the closing Coronas Leaving You on the far outside. “My daddy used to hit me for looking, so I never look, especially in a close race.

“Every win is great, but this one is special because that’s the first one at 50, I just turned 50 years old,” added the winning rider.

With the win, Dmnv Mountable improved his record to 10 wins from 16 starts and increased his career earnings to $464,410 with the $170,776 winner’s share of the purse.

Dmnv Mountable paid $11.80, $3.60 and $3.60, runner-up Coronas Leaving You returned $3.40 and $3.00, and Romancing Mary paid $10.40 for show. Easy Dashin Sixes, Coronas Easy Dash, Quickid Corona, Separatist Baby, Moonshine Memories, Rock Solid Jess, and Rebas in the House completed the order of finish.

Lone Star Park’s 31-day, 2008 Quarter Horse Fall Meeting of Champions will be held from September 26 to November 29. After the opening weekend on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 26-27, racing will be held every Thursday through Saturday in October and each Wednesday through Saturday in November, except Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 26-27 when there will be no live racing due to the Thanksgiving holiday. First post time for all dates will be 6:35 p.m. For more information, visit the track’s Web site at www.lonestarpark.com.