(May 9, 2007) - Lexington Stakes champ Slew's Tizzy and Illinois Derby runner-up Reporting for Duty arrived in Dallas early Wednesday on a charter flight from Kentucky in advance of Saturday's Grade III, $300,000 Lone Star Derby at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas.

Both horses are expected to vie for favoritism in the 1 1/16-mile race that should attract 11 three-year-olds when entries are taken Thursday morning.

The connections of Slew's Tizzy, who scored a front-running 3 ½-length victory in the Grade II Lexington Stakes at Keeneland three weeks ago, chose to bypass the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes in favor of the Lone Star Derby. He'll use Saturday's race as a possible springboard to the 1 ½-mile Belmont Stakes on June 9.

"Slew's Tizzy traveled beautifully," said Greg Fox, who trains the Tiznow colt for owner/breeder Joseph LaCombe, the Brooklyn native who campaigned 1997 Horse of the Year Favorite Trick. "He's a very cooperative horse and that's one of his best qualities; he's all business. This is a good spot for him because of the timing and our horse is maturing."

Reporting for Duty, owned by Dallas residents Cathy and Bob Zollars, is expected to vie for favoritism with Slew's Tizzy after he closed to finish 2 ¼ lengths behind Cowtown Cat in the Grade II Illinois Derby at Hawthorne Race Course on April 7. He'll be one of three starters in the race for Lone Star Park's all-time leading trainer Steve Asmussen, who also plans to run Forty Grams and Takedown.

"This race won't be easy because there's $300,000 on the line and we're coming into Steve Asmussen's backyard," Fox said. "But things are really starting to click with Slew's Tizzy right now and he couldn't be doing any better."

Earlier this spring, Slew's Tizzy was best known as the horse who almost knocked Circular Quay off the Triple Crown trail. At the top of the stretch in the Feb. 10 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds, Slew's Tizzy was full of run in tight quarters, clipped heels and dropped his rider James Graham. None the worse for wear, the Kentucky-bred returned for the Louisiana Derby, but faltered after he was unable to relax while clipping off fast early fractions in the early stages of the race.

Robby Albarado, who was aboard Slew's Tizzy's 40-1 Lexington shocker, has accepted the return call to ride Saturday. "The addition of Robby and taking the blinkers off last time really helped this colt relax," Fox said. "Everything went well that day. Hopefully, we can continue our good fortune Saturday at Lone Star."

The probable field for the 11th running of the Grade III, $300,000 Lone Star Derby (with jockeys and trainers), according to Lone Star Park stakes coordinator Mike Shamburg: Lexington Stakes winner Slew's Tizzy (Robby Albarado, Greg Fox); Reporting for Duty (Chris Emigh, Steve Asmussen); Lexington Stakes third Forty Grams (Luis Quinonez, Asmussen); Rushaway Stakes third Reata's Rocket (Rajiv Maragh, Joe Orseno); Northern Spur Breeders' Cup Stakes one-two Takedown (Glen Murphy, Asmussen) and Harrow Land (Eusebio Razo Jr., Tony Reinstedler); Oaklawn Park allowance winners Moyer's Pond (Justin Shepherd, Reinstedler) and Slew By Slew (Don Pettinger, Donnie K. Von Hemel); Lone Star Park allowance winner Mr. Nightlinger (Ramsey Zimmerman, Bret Calhoun); and Sam Houston maiden winners Gold Wonder (TBA, Kamal Sheena) and Taksent (TBA, Eddie Webb).

Forty Grams, Harrow Land, Moyer's Pond, Reporting for Duty and Slew's Tizzy checked into the Lone Star Park stable area Wednesday at 9:45 a.m. following their H.E. "Tex" Sutton Forwarding Co. charter flight from Kentucky. Reporting for Duty and Forty Grams went to Asmussen's Barn B5, Slew's Tizzy is stabled in trainer Jack Bruner's Barn A1, and the Tony Reinstedler-trained duo of Harrow Land and Moyer's Pond went in trainer Dallas Keen's Barn C2.

The Joe Orseno-trained Reata's Rocket, campaigned by Al Micallef, who owns the famous Western cuisine Reata Restaurant in Fort Worth, has been stabled in Allen Milligan's Barn D2 since his April 25 arrival from South Florida. Like last year's winner Wanna Runner, Reata's Rocket was bred in Ontario, Canada, and the Lone Star Derby will be used as a steppingstone to the $1 million Queen's Plate at Woodbine on June 24. The 1 ¼-mile Queen's Plate is the first leg of Canada's Triple Crown.

DOWN THE STRETCH

THE NEXT PERCY HOPE? - Kentucky-based Tony Reinstedler, the only trainer in this year's prospective field with a previous Lone Star Derby victory, says Harrow Land reminds him of his 2001 champ Percy Hope. "Like Percy Hope, he's a late developing 3-year-old with good, tactical speed," Reinstedler said. "He was unlucky to lose the Northern Spur at Oaklawn last time out." . . .

STAKES TRIPLEHEADER - The Lone Star Derby is one of three stakes races on Saturday. There also will be $125,000 divisions of the Texas Stallion Stakes for 3-year-old progeny of nominated Texas-based stallions. Both the Stymie Division (colts and geldings) and Got Koko Division (fillies) will be run at 1 1/16 miles . . .

RACES DRAWN THURSDAY - Post positions for Saturday's card will be drawn late Thursday morning and it is likely that the Lone Star Derby will be positioned as Race 10 at 5:47 p.m. CT on the 11-race program . . .

FREE LONE STAR DERBY GLASSWARE - Lone Star Park customers will receive a free commemorative Lone Star Derby glassware set on Saturday with a paid general admission while supplies last. The glasses, to be distributed in the Lone Star Park saddling paddock, pay tribute to the past Lone Star Derby winners: Anet (1997), Smolderin Heart (1998), T.B. Track Star (1999), Tahkodha Hills (2000), Percy Hope (2001), Wiseman's Ferry (2002), Dynever (2003), Pollard's Vision (2004), Southern Africa (2005) and Wanna Runner (2006). Grandstand gates open at 11:30 a.m. Saturday. Glassware also will be distributed to patrons of the Post Time Pavilion between 10:25 a.m. and 6 p.m. . . .

DERBY DAY ENTERTAINMENT - Lone Star Derby Day entertainment includes live country music by Scott Whitaker between races in the Courtyard of Champions from 12-4 p.m. and bounce houses for children on the lawn area in front of the Post Time Pavilion. Also, radio stations 99.5 The Wolf and 93.3 The Bone will be on hand for promotional appearances. . .

NO CLUBHOUSE UPGRADES SATURDAY - Continuing with a "Big Event Day" policy to ensure quality customer service for those who have purchased reserved seating, no clubhouse admission upgrades will be sold on Saturday due to an expected large crowd. Only patrons with reserved seats will be allowed on the second and fourth floors of the Grandstand . . .

WEATHER FORECAST - According to the National Weather Service, showers and thunderstorms are likely overnight Wednesday and into Thursday afternoon in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The weekend calls for highs in the mid 80s and just a minimal chance of precipitation . . .

LONE STAR LEADERS - Week 5 of the 16-week meeting kicks off Thursday night at 6:35 p.m. CT with a nine-race program. Ramsey Zimmerman, who won three races including 1,000th career winner Sunday, will begin the week with a 22-20 lead in the jockey standings over two-time local riding champ Cliff Berry. Trainer Bret Calhoun had a 20-19 advantage over Cody Autrey in the trainer standings. The team of Sandy and Jerry Heflin and Ywachetta and James Driver is dominating the owner standings with 14 wins from 30 starters through the first 16 days of the 67-day meet . . .

LAST WEEK - Cliff Berry, who passed Corey Lanerie as Lone Star Park's all-time leading rider Sunday, led all jockeys with eight wins last week (May 3-6), one more than leading rider Ramsey Zimmerman. Cody Autrey topped all trainers with seven wins from 13 starters, two more than Bret Calhoun. Autrey's clients, Heflin and Driver Racing, won with five of their 10 starters. . .

REPEAT WINNERS - Eight horses have already recorded two wins at the meet: Diamond Frost, Editor's Cat, Flamethrower, Front Nine, Moneyinmywranglers, Nite Fun, Prize Packet and Wacos Cutie . . .

PARTY AT THE PARK - "Party at the Park" returns to the Courtyard of Champions on Friday night with drinks specials and live music by Ice House from 7-11 p.m. Also, Craig Miller of KTCK "Sportsradio 1310 The Ticket" and Ticket Chicks will be on hand . . .

MOTHER'S DAY DIAMOND DIG - The first 500 women age 21 and over to attend Lone Star Park for Sunday's nine-race Mother's Day program will get a chance to dig to a real diamond on the main track after the last race at approximately 5:19 p.m. CT. The diamond, valued at $2,500, will be buried in a section of the main track near the finish line and contestants will use spoons to find it. Nancy Moore of Euless, Texas was last year's winner . . .

SENIOR CITIZEN'S DAY - Sunday also doubles as Senior Citizen's Day where all patrons age 62 and up will receive free general admission with proof of identification. There also will be live music in the Courtyard of Champions by Time Machine between 12-4 p.m. and a promotional appearance by 100.3 JACK FM.