(Saturday, August 25, 2007) - Fastest qualifier Patrionic returned in fine form this evening at Sam Houston Race Park in the in the final of the $128,385 Dixie Stallion Stakes. The 2-year-old is bred and owned by Dennis Touchet of Brownsville, Texas and trained by his son, Bobby. She was the fastest qualifier in trials run on August 10 and returned to face eight rivals this evening in the final.

Bred in Texas by Touchet, Patrionic, a daughter of Game Patriot, has won her last three races with regular rider, Arturo Puga aboard.

“She’s very fast,” said Puga. “She really took off tonight.”

Puga regained his lead in the Sam Houston Race Park jockey colony this weekend. The 18-year-old has ridden 33 winners this meet and has done especially well for Touchet, winning the Harris County Stakes with Makela and qualifying two runners, Check Cathy and The Polar Express for the $341,700 Sam Houston Futurity.

Panther Purr, sent off as the favorite, got out to a huge lead under rider Rodrigo Vallejo before Patrionic made her bid from post position nine and drew clear, completing the 350-yard stakes in a final time of :17.548.

“She broke well and ran faster today than in the trials,” said Vallejo of Panther Purr. “She just got outrun by the nine.”

Patrionic earned $51,354 for her victory this evening and paid $5.00, $2.60 and $2.40. Panther Purr held on for second and Witches Streak ran third. Painkiller, Cool Lil Toma Hank, Tri Shake Em, Bye Bye Oak, Injuns Money Raiser and Special Fast Dash completed the order of finish. Streaking Eye Opener was an early scratch.

News and Notes

Trials were run earlier in the evening for the $114,400 Sam Houston Derby. The third trial produced the fastest qualifier as My First Passion crossed the wire of the 440-yard trial in :21.603, the fastest time of 28 runners.

My First Passion, a California-bred son of First Down Dash, is trained by Heath Taylor for owner Jose Cantu. Rider J. R. Ramirez had the mount.

“He’ll need a little schooling in the gate; he needs to stand a little bit better. This is a horse I have always had high expectations of. He qualified for the All American Futurity last year and won the Firecracker Futurity. He loves the distance of 440 yards; he’s a really strong closer. There are some awesome horses in the final: Snowy Alibi, Happy Streaker, but if he gets away good and they don’t run over him, he’s got a huge shot.”

The finals of the Sam Houston Derby will be run on Saturday, September 8.