bret calhoun | Horse Racing Free Tips

Five Stakes Highlight State Breds On Stars Of Texas Day At Lone Star

Five stakes were carded Saturday at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas on Stars of Texas Day. The first of the five was Race 7, the $75,000 Valor Farm Stakes for Accredited Texas-bred fillies & mares, 3-yr-olds & up.

Ima Discreet Lady and Shes Our Fastest dueled for the early lead in the six-furlong sprint on the main track. Ima Discreet Lady got the edge and carried the winner and favorite wide, Shes Our Fastest (2.60). The winner drew clear late to win under a drive.

Final time was 1:10.96 on a fast track. Fractions were :22.98; :45.72, and :58.13. Natalies Joy made a mild late rally to get up for third and Samborita finished last. Boerne and Gee She Sparkles were scratched from the race.

Scott Gelner was the winning trainer for owners Mark Norman and Norman Stables LLC. Winning rider was Stewart Elliott.

Saturday also saw the $75,000 Fiesta Mile for Accredited Texas-bred fillies & mares 3-yr-olds & up contested on the turf course which was labeled firm.

Favorite Boerne vied for the early lead on the inside, made an inside move leaving the turn to draw clear in the final furlong. It was a good effort, but she was caught late by the winner, Miss Perfecta (8.60). Miss Perfecta angled out for racing room leaving the turn and was set down to get up late driving. Corluna moved into contention out of the turn, but lacked needed effort and got up for the show. Zarelda was fourth followed by Herbs Love, Discreet Smile, Kitty's Queen, and Set the Pace completing the order of finish.

Final time for the mile on grass was 1:35.20. Winning owners were Tyree J. Wolesensky and Jose Silva, Jr. Miss Perfecta is trained by Hall of Fame trainer, Steve Asmussen. Jockey Stewart Elliot was aboard.

The $100,000 Texas Thoroughbred Futurity, Filly Division produced longshot winner, Streak of Silver (36.00), for owner Carl R. Moore Management LLC. Second place finisher, Expect the Boss was crushed on both sides leaving the gate, recovering to get into contention with the winner, but flattened out late. Favorite, Red Hot Moon dueled early, but weakened on the drive, but was better than the others for the show.

The final time for the five and one half furlong futurity was 1:05.91 on a fast track. Fractions were :22.63, :46.49, and :59.22.

Karen Jacks was the winning trainer and Iram Diego was the winning jockey.

Wayne Sanders and Larry Hirsch's Tengo Mis Pepeles (3.80), trained by Bret Calhoun, impressed again today winning the $100,000 Colt & Gelding Division of the Texas Thoroughbred Futurity. The victorious grey colt by My Golden Song won his debut here on June 13 in the Texas Stallion Stakes by nine and three-quarters lengths. Today's win margin wasn't as far as that effort, but the one and one half length win today showed the 2-yr-old's confidence and professionalism. Reylu Gutierrez was the winning rider.

Final time for the five and one half furlongs was 1:50.02 behind fractions of :22.14, :45.56, and :58.42.

Sparky Hale took aim on the winner out of the turn and was gaining and held on to second over third-place finisher Stan's Miracle Man who was gaining fast.

Fourth-place finisher was Simply Wicked, followed by Ghost Cowboy, Hedaresthedevil, Dare to Fail, Linc's Boy, On My List, Pickingupstrangers, Timed Event, and Royal Tap.

The final stake on the card was the $75,000 Assault Stakes at one mile on the turf for Accredited Texas-bred horses, three years olds and up.

Winner, Kenai Bob (11.50) was off first, but allowed second-placed Mr Money Bags to set the pace shortly thereafter, settling in behind him through ultra slow early fractions. Kenai Bob made a bid in the stretch, slowly edging clear late to win by three-quarters of a length. Mr Money Bags was the leader throughout most of the race, but was out-finished to get second. Favorite Sunlit Song was well placed, but was boxed in and was slowly gaining late only to get third. Moojab, Jr. ran fourth with Men of Kyle, Gold Pilot, Direct Dial, and Gottherightonebaby completing the order of finish. There were three late scratches, Gunnerscelesticman, He's a Sailor, and Quarterback Dak.

Final time for the Assault was 1:36.12 over a firm turf course. Fractions were :24.64, :49.62, 1:12.83, and 1:24.51.

Kenai Bob is owned by Michael Grossman, trained by Francisco Bravo, and was ridden by Luis Quinonez.

Tomorrow, Sunday, July 11 is the final day of the meeting. First race post time is at 2:05 p.m. There are 11 races on the final card.

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Top Trainers Showing Early ‘Enthusiasm’ For Colonial Downs Meet

Following the opening of the barn area earlier this week, anticipation is running high for the 2021 race meeting at Colonial Downs, exemplified by the widespread participation of horsemen across the Middle Atlantic, Northeast, and Midwestern regions; and attracted by a strong average daily purse structure of $500,000 per day.

For its 21-day meeting beginning Monday, July 19 — with all races televised on TVG — some of the nation's top stakes-winning trainers are scheduled to participate, including Ferris Allen, Bret Calhoun, Ignacio Correas, John Kimmel, Michelle Lovell, Graham Motion, John Ortiz, Dale Romans, Dallas Stewart, Mike Stidham, Michael Trombetta and Brendan Walsh.

“It's extremely gratifying to witness the overall enthusiasm and interest from these top trainers for this year's meeting,” said Jill Byrne, Colonial Downs Vice President of Racing Operations. “We are proud to further our goal of maintaining a first-class racing and a stabling program, and to ensure that the highest standards of safety and integrity are administered for our horsemen and fans.”

“We have a great mixture of horses and outfits from all over,” added Racing Secretary Allison DeLuca. “We have a lot of Kentucky people and some from Florida. I think the competition might be tougher. I'm hoping we'll run more dirt races this year. Some people get it in their head there's only turf here, so I hope we can get some more dirt participation.”

Dallas Stewart has nominated 5-year-old Chess Chief for the $100,000 Bert Allen Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile race over the Secretariat turf course for Virginia bred/Virginia restricted runners on the opening day program. Owned by the Estate of James Coleman Jr., Chess Chief, a Virginia-bred son of Into Mischief, won the New Orleans Classic Stakes (G2) at the Fair Grounds in March, and finished fifth in the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) last time out at Churchill Downs.
“The plan for Chess Chief is to use the Bert Allen Stakes as a prep for the Pacific Classic,” said Stewart, “But plans can also change based on how the horse performs.”

Stewart, who will be based at Colonial for the first time, plans to have 20 horses in the Colonial backstretch by opening day and five are on the grounds already. Among his contingent is the 3-year-old Macho Uno colt, Shadow Matter, who he plans to run in the Housebuster Overnight Handicap July 20.

“We're excited about the meet,” he said. “Jill Byrne [Colonial Downs' Vice President of Racing Operations] recruited us and some other stables from Churchill Downs since their backstretch is closing for the summer. The racing is going to be good. We have a race in mind for every horse coming to Virginia, so we look forward to having a solid meet.”

Also nominated for the Bert Allen Stakes is the Romans-trained Attachment Rate, third in Keeneland's Commonwealth Stakes (G3), and Virginia-sired Mr. Buff, a winner of 11 stakes in New York and more than $1.3 million for trainer John Kimmel.

Mike Stidham, leading trainer at Colonial's 2019 and abbreviated 2020 meet, plans to have between eight and 10 horses rotating in and out of his barn including David Ross's Palio, who scored a maiden special weight win at New Kent last summer. Palio also is nominated to the Bert Allen Stakes. Ross, who races under the stable name DAARS, Inc., is the all-time leading owner at Colonial Downs.

“I train for David, and he likes to focus on the Colonial meet and race as many of his horses as he can during that time,” said Stidham, who had a Grade I win earlier this year with Mystic Guide in the Dubai World Cup. “The meet here is always fun.”

Colonial's all-time leading trainer Ferris Allen, a Varina, Virginia native, returns with 30 stalls. “I always target the Colonial meet,” he said. “The level of competition is going to better than it ever has. Nobody knows the lay of the land here as well as me, so hopefully that will be a help to us.”

“We built a loyal following of owners and handled their horses at Colonial over the years,” said Allen. “But after being closed for six years, those folks weren't at the doorstep waiting for you when Colonial reopened in 2019. People had to move on so that first year back was like re-establishing a network. Last year, we planned to take a step forward, but the pandemic prevented that. So this year is almost like year one again in re-establishing that base.”

The highlight of the stakes calendar will be the $250,000 New Kent County Virginia Derby (G3) for 3-year-olds and the $150,000 Virginia Oaks for 3-year-old fillies, both at 1 1/8-miles on Aug. 31.

In addition to the minimum daily $500,000 purse structure, there will be added incentives for horsemen at Colonial, including:

All owners who start a horse at Colonial Downs will receive the greater of $1,000 or their share of the purse money from the race.
All trainers will receive $300 per horse started.
Colonial Downs will offer free horse transportation originating from Fair Hill Training Center.

Colonial Downs is pleased to extend a $15 donation per starter to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA), which will be matched by the VHBPA.

“It is our privilege to present a race meet of this caliber symbolizing the long-term potential for horse racing in Virginia,” said John Marshall, Executive Vice President, Operations, Colonial Downs Group. “Fans on-track can expect a high level of service and quality despite economic challenges raised following the pandemic. Fans on-line and off-site can expect the highest level of wagering quality during our early week and early day time period. We have all long awaited this day and are thrilled it has finally arrived at full capacity.”

The Colonial Downs meet will continue through September 1 with racing every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at 1:45 PM.

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Mr. Wireless Earns First Stakes Victory In Indiana Derby

Trainer Bret Calhoun picked up his second Indiana Derby victory in three years on Wednesday night as Mr. Wireless – a 3-year-old gelding by Dialed In – came from just off the pace under jockey Ramon Vazquez to win going away by 3 3/4 lengths in the Grade 3 contest at Indiana Grand in Shelbyville, Ind.

Winning for the third time in five starts – all in 2021 – Mr. Wireless covered 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:42.84. He paid $9.80 to win as the third wagering choice in the field of six 3-year-olds and picked up $178,200 as the winner's share of the $300,000 purse. He is owned by Jon Lapczenski and JIL Stable. Mr. Wireless, produced from Voussoir, by Arch, was bred in Kentucky by John and Iveta Kerber, who race as JIL Stable.

Sermononthemount finished second, 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Fulsome, the 2-5 favorite from the Brad Cox stable who came into the Indiana Derby off three consecutive victories, including a last-out score in the G3 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs on May 29. Starrininmydreams finished fourth, Convention fifth and W W Crazy, the early pace-setter fading to last.

Mr. Wireless, bobbled at the start but settled in just behind pacesetter W W Crazy, who set fractions of :24.16 and :48.31 for the opening half mile. Mr. Wireless grabbed the advantage before reaching the far turn, getting the opening six furlongs in 1:12.41, then was never challenged there, leading by 1 1/2 lengths at the furlong pole (with a mile split in 1:36.61) and drawing away under steady encouragement from Vazquez.

Mr. Wireless debut with a fifth-place finish March 4 at Fair Grounds in Louisiana, then graduated with a nose victory going a mile at Oaklawn Park on March 27. He posted another nose victory next out, winning a May 1 allowance at the Arkansas track, then finished second in his stakes debut behind Warrant in the May 31 Texas Derby on a sloppy track at Lone Star Park.

Calhoun won the 2019 Indiana Derby with Mr. Money for Allied Racing Stable.

The Indiana Derby was the last of 12 races, including six stakes, on the afternoon/evening program at Indiana Grand. Spurred by $905,027 in new money on the Straight Fire 6 jackpot bet that had a mandatory payout and a $166,573 jackpot going in, nearly $6.3 million was wagered, exceeding the previous all-time high of $5,979,952 bet on last year's Indiana Derby card.

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Calhoun Chasing Repeat In Wednesday’s Indiana Derby

Two years ago Bret Calhoun captured the $300,000, Grade 3 Indiana Derby with Mr. Money at Indiana Grand Racing & Casino. The trainer will try to top that this year, shooting for a sweep in Wednesday's Indiana Derby with Mr. Wireless and the $200,000, Grade 3 Indiana Oaks with Lovely Ride.

First post is 2:25 p.m. EDT for the 12-race card, with the Indiana Oaks (race 11) scheduled for 7:43 p.m. and the Indiana Derby for 8:25 p.m.

Like Mr. Money, Lovely Ride is owned by the Allied Racing Stable of Madisonville, Ky., entrepreneur Chester Thomas.

Calhoun's two 3-year-olds come in with somewhat similar form, both having raced four times and improving with each start.

Mr. Wireless, a son of 2011 Florida Derby winner Dialed In and out of a mare by the deceased Super Derby winner Arch, finished fifth in his debut sprinting. Put in longer races, Mr. Wireless won both an Oaklawn Park maiden and allowance race by a nose, then was second in the Texas Derby by three-quarters of a length at 14-1.

“He loved the two turns,” Calhoun said recently at Churchill Downs. “Really impressive races. He's a very, very gutsy horse. He's got a lot of try to him. He ran very well in the Texas Derby, a sloppy mess there. He got away just a hair tardy and that put him in bad position going into the first turn. He got fanned pretty wide and got beat a half-length or so. I think if a couple of things here and there had gone a little different that he might have won. He was good enough to win that race. We're hopeful he can step up a little bit and fit in these graded stakes.”

By contrast, Mr. Money had already won a pair of graded stakes at Churchill Downs before coming to Indiana Grand.

“Obviously Mr. Money was a much more proven horse going into the Indiana Derby,” Calhoun said. “I trained this horse's half-sister, and that family develops a little later. They're a little slow maturing physically. I think you'll see more and more from this horse in the future. He's going to get better and better.”

Lovely Ride was a well-beaten second in her debut racing 4 1/2 furlongs at Lone Star Park. She followed with a professional maiden victory and even better-looking allowance triumph at Sam Houston before taking a Churchill Downs' second-level allowance by 6 1/2 lengths. Off that, Bill Downes has made Lovely Ride the 4-1 third choice in the Indiana Oaks' field of eleven 3-year-old fillies, behind favored Kentucky Oaks third-place finisher Will's Secret and Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks winner Soothsay.

“Interesting filly,” Calhoun said of Lovely Ride. “Very pretty filly that's got quite a bit of pedigree. We started her off at Lone Star, and she was just an average second that day. She had some issues bugging her at the time, so we gave her plenty of time off. She was a little bit immature physically as well. We started her back on an easier trail. Ran her at Houston, and she ran very well. So, we brought her to Churchill, and we felt pretty good about our chances going into the allowance race.

“I know she'd never faced anybody, really, and been running on a much softer circuit. Nobody gave her much of a chance here. There were some pretty good fillies in there, been running in graded stakes, coming in thirds and fourths. It was a very good test for her, and she passed with flying colors. So, we're pretty hopeful she can step up in graded-stakes company as well. She hasn't done much wrong in her life, and she's thriving right now.”

Among the fillies Lovely Ride defeated in her last start was Indiana Oaks contender Moon Swag, who before that was third in the Fair Grounds' Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra Stakes and fourth in Keeneland's Grade 1 Ashland.

Thomas purchased the Tiznow broodmare Lovely Lil while she was carrying Lovely Ride, making him the breeder of record.

“Everybody says I don't know how to spell patience,” he said with a laugh. “But I have patience with my horses and know they need time here and there. So, we gave her the right time, brought her back nice and easy. She annihilated the field, not once but twice before we brought her to Kentucky to do the two-turn thing. That was a nice race she won at Churchill.

“We're excited to be going to Indiana. We got lucky and won the Indiana Derby. Now we can hopefully get lucky and win the Indiana Oaks. That would be pretty cool. It's going to be nice to be back at the track, now that things have opened up again.”

Thomas said he was offered “some pretty serious money” for Lovely Ride after her last victory.

“I felt like she had bigger and better things to do, that she would accomplish,” he said. “So, we decided to hang on to her. Hopefully we made the right decision. We're very hopeful she'll win a graded stakes. That goes hand in fist. When you start winning graded stakes versus allowance races, especially with fillies, they become more and more valuable. It's already worthwhile. Bret calls them my pets, but it's always nice to see these homebreds do well.”

Gabe Saez, who rode Mr. Money, has the mount on Lovely Ride. Ramon Vazquez rides Mr. Wireless.

Stewart brings in Oaks favorite Will's Secret; excited to see how Starrininmydreams stacks up in Derby

Willis Horton Racing's Will's Secret is the 5-2 favorite in the $200,000, Grade 3 Indiana Oaks off a pair of thirds in the Kentucky Oaks and Keeneland's Ashland Stakes, Grade 1 success that followed her winning Oaklawn Park's Grade 3 Honeybee and the Martha Washington. She breaks from the rail, with 3-1 second choice Soothsay, the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks winner, to her immediate right in the starting gate.

“The filly ran third in the Oaks and she's training well. So, we're excited about running her there,” said trainer Dallas Stewart. “There are going to be some nice fillies in there. (But) she's run against the best. She's shipped around and run well.”

Will's Secret is a daughter of the Three Chimneys Farm stallion Will Take Charge, the 3-year-old champion of 2013 for Horton.

Stewart co-bred and co-owns Indiana Derby candidate Starrininmydreams in partnership with WinStar Farm under a foal-sharing arrangement. Stewart owns the mare, Boy Crazy, while WinStar provided the breeding to 2010 Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver.

“He ran third in the Lexington (at Keeneland), and he just got outrun in the Pat Day Mile,” Stewart said. “But our horse is nice, and he's trained well. We're excited to see how he matches up.”

Boy Crazy, whom Stewart trained and co-owned with a client, ran only once, finishing fifth in the $30,000 maiden-claiming race. She's been far more successful as a broodmare.

While getting into the breeding side of the horse industry has been known to bust a trainer, Stewart has done well. Boy Crazy produced Saint's Fan, who won a $100,000 Louisiana-bred stakes, and $211,107-earner Diamond Crazy, also a Louisiana-bred.

“We just did it for fun, like with one horse,” he said of his family, whose band of three broodmares includes a sister to Boy Crazy. “We started off in the Louisiana program. (Boy Crazy) has just been phenomenal for us.”

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