The $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic (G3) and $200,000 John B. Connally Turf Cup (G3) are the marquee events among five stakes set for the Houston Racing Festival card Saturday at Sam Houston Race Park.
Stonestreet Stables LLC's homebred Grade 1 winner Pauline's Pearl is among seven older fillies and mares entered for the 1 1/16-mile Houston Ladies Classic.
A 5-year-old daughter of Tapit out of Grade 1 winner Hot Dixie Chick, by Dixie Union, Pauline's Pearl captured the 2021 edition of the race for trainer Steve Asmussen and followed up with an elite-level win in the La Troienne (G1) at Churchill Downs. An earner of $1,695,200 in 15 career efforts, the freshened mare will be starting for the first time since finishing third in the Fleur de Lis Stakes (G2) July 2 at the Lousiville track.
“She is a tremendous Stonestreet Stables homebred who got her year off to a good start in the Houston Ladies Classic, then winning a Grade 1,” stated Asmussen of the mare. “We are definitely trying to duplicate that.”
Asmussen, who has won 14 Sam Houston Race Park leading trainer titles, will be seeking his fourth win in the Houston Ladies Classic. He also won in 2019 edition with the season's champion older dirt female, Midnight Bisou, and the 2020 running with Lady Apple.
Trainer Bret Calhoun has entered Hidden Connection, a Connect filly who won the 2021 Pocahontas Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs, before finishing fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) for owners Hidden Brook Farm and Black Type Thoroughbreds. In her most recent start, she won an allowance-optional claiming race by 7 1/2 lengths Dec. 16 at Fair Grounds, where she was the runner-up in the 2022 Fair Grounds Oaks.
“She showed up early and was very talented, with a high cruising speed and the ability to carry it,” said Calhoun. “Following the Oaks, we gave her time off and she bounced back well.”
Her Fair Grounds victory last month provided plenty of options for her 4-year-old campaign, with the goal of competing the Apple Blossom (G1) at Oaklawn Park.
“I liked the way Hidden Connection won at Fair Grounds and feel she is at a peak level of fitness,” he added.
Also shipping from Fair Grounds will be Susan Moulton's Oliviaofthedesert. Sired by Bernardini, the 5-year-old mare exits a victory in the Blushing K. D. Stakes on December 26. The multiple stakes winner will make her 23rd start for trainer Wayne Catalano, who has given the call to veteran jockey James Graham.
Lothenbach Stables Inc.'s homebred She Can't Sing will make her Sam Houston debut for trainer Chris Block. The 6-year-old mare, also sired by Bernardini out of a Distorted Humor mare Distorted Music, has won eight of her 33 lifetime starts, most recently the Chilukki (G3) at Churchill Downs.
“We had a few options for this mare,” Block said. “She's been working well since winning at Churchill (on November 19). Owner Bob Lothenbach and I felt she deserves a chance.”
Sixtythreecaliber, owned by My Racehorse Stable and Spendthrift Farm LLC, will ship in for trainer Tom Amoss. The 4-year-old filly by Gun Runner has won five of her seven career starts and exits a victory in the Comely (G3) on Nov. 25 at Aqueduct.
Conditioner Brendon Walsh will send in Moon Swag for owner Farfellow Farm, Ltd. The 5-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon won the “Spanky” Broussard Memorial Stakes last month at Fair Grounds.
Completing the field is Fast and Feminine, who will make her stakes debut for owner/trainer Randy Snipes. The 4-year-old filly by Oxbow won an allowance at Sam Houston on Jan. 20.
The Houston Ladies Classic will run as the ninth race, with an approximate post time of 5:25 pm (CT).
Two previous Connally winners are among a dozen entered for this year's 1½-mile turf contest: Team Block's homebred Another Mystery and NBS Stable's Spooky Channel.
Another Mystery won last year's Connally in a thrilling dead heat with Fantasioso. Trained by Chris Block, the 7-year-old son of Temple City has competed against some of the top grass routers, finishing third in the 2022 Kentucky Turf Cup (G2). In 32 starts, he has earned $562,650.
Spooky Channel, the 2021 Connally winner, comes in off a victory last month at Fair Grounds in the Buddy Diliberto Memorial for trainer Jason Barkley. By English Channel, the 8-year-old gelding has banked $661,722.
Trainer Mike Maker, who has won the Connally a record seven times, has three entrants: Kinenos, who will try to snap a nine-race winless skid in pursuit of a stakes breakthrough; Grade 2 winner Bemma's Boy, who was third in last year's Elkhorn (G2) at Keeneland; and Bay Street Money, who will be making his stakes debut.
The Houston Racing Festival card also includes the $100,000 Bob Bork Texas Turf Mile for 3-year-olds, and a pair of stakes for Texas-breds: the $100,000 Bara Lass and $100,000 Groovy.
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