(May 23, 2009) - Monday’s 13th running of the Grade 3, $200,000 Quija Board Handicap, for fillies and mares three-years-old and up, to be run at one mile over turf, features David J. Lanzman Racing Stables & Jason Wood’s Grade 3-winning filly Sweeter Still, trained by Ral Ayers. The doue-year-old, bay daughter of Rock of Gibraltar, who has won four of nine starts over turf with career earnings of $265,361, is scheduled to face seven rivals in the Ouija Board. The 7-2 morning line favorite, who was previously trained by Jeff Mullins, hasn’t run since winning the Sandy Blue Handicap at Del Mar last August 15. Eddie Martin, Jr. gets the mount.

Flibberjibit, trained by Martin Wolfson, who will also send out favorite It’s a Bird in the Lone Star Park Handicap later on the program, poses a serious challenge for Sweeter Still. A winner of half of her 10 turf starts, Flibberjibit has been sharper than ever since making her first start for Wolfson on January 9 at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Florida. Since then, the 5-year-old mare has two wins, a second and two thirds in six races. Julien Leparoux rides.

The Dallas Keen-trained Hotlantic, winner of the $50,000 Irving Distaff at Lone Star Park on April 25, appears to be the strongest of the local contingent at 4-1 in the morning line and can be counted on to set the early pace with Jose Figueroa aboard.
The field from the rail out, with jockey and morning line odds listed in parenthesis, consists of: Rustic Flame (Robby Albarado, 9-2); Sweeter Still (Eddie Martin Jr., 7-2); R Charlie’s Angel (David Flores, 15-1); Wasted Tears (Eguard Tejera, 20-1); Superior Storm (Luis Quinonez, 6-1); Flibberjibit (Julian Leparoux, 3-1); Hotlantic (Jose Figueroa, 4-1); and Love to Tell (Chris Landeros, 10-1).

Scheduled as race nine on the 11-race program, the Quija Board Handicap is scheduled for 5:19 p.m.

Seaspeak is the One to Beat in Dallas Turf Cup

Monday’s 13th running of the Grade 3, $200,000 Dallas Turf Cup Handicap, for three-year-olds and up, to be run at a mile and an eighth over turf features John A Chandler’s rising turf star Seaspeak, trained by Ralph Nicks. A graded stakes winner on grass at Keeneland, Seaspeak was last seen dominating an allowance field at Churchill Downs in Kentucky on April 29. A four-year-old bay son of Mizzen Mast, Seaspeak is scheduled to take on six rivals in the Dallas Turf Cup. The winner of the Grade 3 Bryan Station Stakes at Keeneland last October, Seaspeak, who will have Churchill Downs’ leading jockey Julien Leparoux in the irons, is the 6-5 morning line favorite.

Seaspeak’s toughest challenge should come from Song of Navarone, who has reeled off four consecutive stakes victories while improving his record to eight wins from 11 starts for $623,158 in earnings. Song of Navarone has also been cross-entered in the Lone Star Park Handicap and a decision has yet to be made regarding which event he will compete in on Monday.

Top local hopes are pinned on the Steve Asmussen-trained Red Rock Creek, who finished third in the 2008 Dallas Turf Cup and will be ridden by Robby Albarado.

The field from the rail out, with jockey and morning line odds listed in parenthesis, consists of: Song of Navarone (Chris Landeros, 5-1); Red Rock Creek (Robby Albarado, 9-2); Ernesto (Glen Murphy, 6-1); Seaspeak (Julian Leparoux, 6-5); Overbid (Jason Eads, 15-1); Precious Colony (Eguard Tejera, 10-1); and Tricky Causeway (Luis Quinonez, 8-1).

Scheduled as race seven on the 11-race program, the Dallas Turf Cup Handicap has an approximate post time of 4:23 p.m.

Grand Prairie Turf Challenge Winner Southern Region Favored in $100,000 USA Stakes

Whispering Oaks Farm LLC’s Southern Region, winner of the Grand Prairie Turf Challenge at Lone Star Park on April 25, has been made the 9-5 morning line favorite by track odds maker Rick Lee in the 13th Running of the $100,000 USA Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on the turf at Lone Star Park on Monday. Conditioned by Lone Star Park leading trainer Steve Asmussen, Southern Region will be ridden by one of the nation’s top jockeys Robby Albarado. The 3-year-old gelded son of Stormy Atlantic has two wins from seven lifetime starts with earnings of $82,480.

Second choice in the morning line (3-1) is George Waggoner Stables Inc.’s Ticfaw who finished fifth only a length-and-a-half behind Southern Region in the Grand Prairie Turf Challenge. Trained by Larry Robideaux, Jr., the 3-year-old Candy Ride gelding, who will be ridden by Julien Leparoux has a win and a second in three career starts and $30,700 in earnings.

Asmussen also has the third choice at 4-1 in the morning line with Cathy & Bob Zollars & Mark Wagner’s Har D Boy, who will be ridden by Cliff Berry. The 3-year-old son of Johar missed victory by a nose when he finished second in the Grand Prairie Turf Challenge. He is one for seven lifetime and has earned $36,180.

The USA Stakes is the fifth race on the 11-race card scheduled for 3:27 p.m.

The field from the rail out, with jockey and morning line odds listed in parenthesis, consists of: Southern Region (Robby Albarado, 9-5); Jake Wil Gallop (T.L. Collier, 8-1); Har D Boy (Cliff Berry, 4-1); Ticfaw (Julien Leparoux, 3-1); And Music Came (Curt Bourque, 6-1); Lucky Raja (Junior Chacaltana, 20-1); and Encolure (Glen Murphy, 10-1).

Simplify and City Tone to Face Off in $100,000 Cinemine Stakes

Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC’s Simplify and Tom Durant’s City Tone appear to be the top two contenders in the 7-furlong, $100,000 Cinemine Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on Lone Star Million Day this Monday.

The 7-5 morning line favorite Simplify finished third only a head behind second-place finisher Rachel Alexandra, the 2009 Preakness Stakes winner, and only a half-length in back of the winner in the Grade 3 Debutante at Churchill Downs in her second career start on June 28. Conditioned by Lone Star Park’s leading trainer Steve Asmussen, the 3-year-old daughter of Pulpit will have Robby Albarado in the irons. She has two wins from six starts and has earned $77,220.

Lone Star Park’s leading jockey Chris Landeros has the mount on Jack Bruner trainee City Tone, who won the $125 Texas Stallion (Got Koko Division) Stakes in her last start on May 9 at Lone Star Park. Listed as 9-5 in the morning line, the 3-year-old daughter of City Street has three wins and a second in four career starts with lifetime earnings of $98,586

Another leading contender is Pin Oak Stable’s Sweet Relish, trained by Donnie K. Von Hemel who is seeking her first stakes win. The Smoke Glacken filly will be ridden by Cliff Berry.

The field from the rail out, with jockey and morning line odds listed in parenthesis, consists of: City Tone (Chris Landeros, 9-5); Tis Alkie (Jeremy Collier, 8-1); Mary’s Place (Eguard Tejera, 20-1); Simplify (Robby Albarado, 7-5); Sweet Relish (Cliff Berry, 9-2); Sundayville Break (Luis Quinonez, 10-1); and The Cat Who (Junior Chacaltana, 15-1).

Scheduled as Race 6 on the 11-race program, the Cinemine Stakes has an approximate post time of 3:55 p.m.

13th Running of Valid Expectation Stakes Draws Competitive Field of 11

The 13th Running of the $100,000 Valid Expectations Stakes for fillies and mares, 3-years-old and up, which will be run at 6 furlongs on Monday at Lone Star Park, has drawn a competitive field of 11. Among the contenders are J. Kirk Robison’s Stealth Cat, who won this event in 2008, Michael Shustek & W. Don Stanley’s P.S.U. Grad, Farnsworth Stables LLC’s Pious Ashley, and G. Chris Coleman’s Goodbye Norma Jean.

Two of those contenders – Stealth Cat and P.S.U. Grad -- are trained by Steve Asmussen. Cliff Berry has the mount on Stealth Cat while Robby Albarado will be aboard P.S.U. Grad.

Florida-based trainer Martin Wolfson, who has even-money favorite It’s a Bird in the Grade 3, $400,000 Lone Star Park Handicap later in the day, will use the same rider, Julien Leparoux, on Pious Ashley in the Valid Expectations.

Lone Star Park’s all-time leading jockey in stakes wins, Eddie Martin, Jr., will get a leg up from New Mexico-based trainer Henry Dominguez aboard Goodbye Norma Jean. Dominguez has also entered Tommy Town Thoroughbred LLC’s Sailor’s Sister, who will be ridden by Glen Murphy.

The field from the rail out, with jockey and morning line odds listed in parenthesis, consists of: Wrenice (Curt Bourque, 20-1); P.S.U. Grad (Robby Albarado, 3-1); Lethal Quality (Omar Rodriguez, 8-1); Stealth Cat (Cliff Berry, 6-1); Pious Ashley (Julien Leparoux, 5-1); Stolen Heart (Eguard Tejera, 15-1); Goodbye Norma Jean (Eddie Martin, Jr., 6-1); Cape of Bradford (Luis Quinonez, 10-1); Sailor’s Sister (Glen Murphy, 10-1); R Charlie’s Angel (David Flores, 10-1); and No Other Tone (Chris Landeros, 20-1). There are no entries in the field.

The Valid Expectations Stakes will be run as the eighth race on the 11-race program and is scheduled for 4:51 p.m.