john b. connally turf cup | Horse Racing Free Tips

Another Mystery, Fantasioso Dead-Heat In Thrilling John B. Connally Turf Cup

To say that history was on the line in Sunday afternoon's Grade 3, $200,00 John B. Connally Turf Cup at Sam Houston Race Park, would be a major understatement. Since its first running in 1995, the race has attracted some of the top turf horses in the country. On Sunday, not one but two turf specialists added their names to the list of John B. Connally Turf Cup champions and history was made as the race resulted in a dead-heat for the win for the first time.

The 1 1/2-mile turf event came to a thrilling conclusion with a three-horse photo finish at the wire. The Turf Cup has always attracted top turf horses from across the country, and Sunday's race was no exception as the Illinois-bred Another Mystery, with races from the Midwest and West Coast, shared the win with East Coast-based, Argentinian-bred Fantasioso.

James Graham-ridden Fantasioso, a 7-year-old horse by Strategic Prince, was bred by Luther Eduardo Carlos in Argentina. He is co-owned by Bloom Racing Stable and his trainer, Ignacio Correas, IV.

Though he had made 12 starts at the distance previously, Fantasioso was cutting back from his last race, the two-mile H. Allen Jerkins Stakes at Gulfstream in which he finished third. He has hit the board in several stakes but was in search of an elusive win.

“He's such a cool horse,” said co-owner Jeff Bloom. “This was a well-deserved victory as he has been close in so many of his races. James rode him perfectly and it was so gratifying to see him win a graded stakes in the United States.”

Fantasioso won several graded stakes in his native Argentina but this was his first graded stakes victory in North America. He has earned $259,539 in 32 career starts and has finished in the money in 19 starts, including six victories.

Graham was able to close despite slow fractions and create the trip his horse needed.

“They went slow in front of us, but he ran his rear end off and I was glad to finally win a Connally Cup,” said Graham, who made the trip to Sam Houston from Fair Grounds. “This horse has a good kick and I appreciated the opportunity to ride for Ignacio and Jeff.”

Another Mystery is a 6-year-old horse by Temple City, bred and owned by Team Block and trained by Chris Block. This marked the second Connally Turf Cup win for Team Block, who also brought Fort Prado to the winners' circle in 2006.

“Two years ago he ran in the Connally coming off a ten-day rest,” said Block. “He's matured a lot and as my dad would say, he's been crying out for three turns. He had a good rest and trained great coming into the race. The Ioya family is all turf and Jareth put a great ride on him.”

Jareth Loveberry had the call on Another Mystery after riding the horse twice at the Fair Grounds, including a win in the Bob F. Wright Memorial Stakes. He is multiple graded stakes placed with $358,000 in earnings and picked up his seventh career win in 24 starts.

“He ran a really good race and handled the turf course well today,” said Loveberry. “He was grabbing the bit and had his head down at the right time. I want to thank Chris and the whole team for getting him ready.”

He'll get a rest and run next at Fair Grounds, according to Block. Jeff Bloom said that Fantasioso will likely be pointed to Keeneland.

The final time for the stake was 2:31.28. Both horses closed from far back to hit the wire together after letting Dyn O Mite and Strong Tide set the fractions up front. Strong Tide held on to be involved in the photo finish at the wire and was placed third.

Strong Tide is a homebred for Michael and Penny Lauer of Indiana; Penny Lauer owns and Michael Lauer trains the 5-year-old son of English Channel. Geovanni Franco traveled to Houston to ride Strong Tide, who he also rode to victory in an optional claiming event at Oaklawn in their last start.

Hierarchy and Corey Lanerie led the rest of the field in fourth place, followed by pacesetter Dyn O Mite, post-time favorite Ajourneytofreedom, Malthael, Decision Maker, Tide of the Sea, Logical Myth, Parrot Head and Conviction Trade.

The John B. Connally Turf was awarded Grade 3 status in 2006 and boasts a solid roster of past winners including Chorwon, Warleigh, Fort Prado, Rod and Staff, Swift Warrior as well as three-time champions, Candid Glen and Bigger Picture.

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Pauline’s Pearl Headlines Sunday’s John B. Connally Turf Cup At Sam Houston

The fields are set for the premier day of Thoroughbred racing at Sam Houston Race Park. The Houston Racing Festival will take place on Sunday, Jan. 30 with a special afternoon post time of 1:45 p.m. (CT). The 11-race card includes six stakes, highlighted by the Grade 3, $400,000 Houston Ladies Classic and Grade 3, $200,000 John B. Connally Turf Cup.

Now in its tenth running, the Houston Ladies Classic, at 1 1/16 miles on the main track, has been a springboard for top older fillies and mares The purse was boosted to $400,000 this year (from $300,000) in its previous editions and Hall of Fame conditioner Steve Asmussen will go for his third victory with Stonestreet Stable LLC's homebred Pauline's Pearl. The filly by Tapit out of the Dixie Union mare Hot Dixie Chick, drew post position three with Joel Rosario riding the 6-5 morning line favorite. He and Asmussen have teamed successfully of late; Rosario guided La Crete to victory in Saturday's Silverbulletday at Fair Grounds.

The victory by Pauline's Pearl would vault Asmussen into the record books as the only conditioner to win three editions of the Houston Ladies Classic. He won with Midnight Bisou in 2019, the remarkable champion who went on to capture five Grade 1 stakes, banking $7.4 million and was honored as 2019 Eclipse Award winning older female. He also captured 2020 Houston Ladies Classic with Lady Apple, a 5-year-old daughter of Curlin owned by Phoenix Thoroughbred III Ltd.

Pauline's Pearl will be making her 11th career start on Sunday. She made her debut at Fair Grounds last year before shipping to Oaklawn Park for the 2021 Honeybee on March 6. She finished second in that Grade 3 before triumphing in the G3, $600,000 Fantasy. The gray filly completed her 3-year-old campaign with a victory in the Zia Park Oaks on Nov. 23. Asmussen sent the Kentucky-bred filly back to Fair Grounds where she had a series of works in December and January before vanning to Houston last week. On Saturday, Jan. 22, she looked comfortable jogging on a fast main track under exercise rider Eulalio Rivera.

“She's a very nice filly,” said Asmussen. “We have had success with both Midnight Bisou and Lady Apple in this race and look forward to running Pauline's Pearl for Stonestreet Stables.”

The Mary Rose, bred and owned in Arkansas, by Shortleaf Stable, Inc, will ship to Houston from Oaklawn Park on Thursday, according to her trainer John Alexander Ortiz. He has conditioned the 5-year-old Macho Uno mare since last summer, with four on the board placings in five starts. She finished her 2021 season with an impressive seven-length score in a $50,000 allowance at Oaklawn Park on Dec. 31.

“The lightbulb turned on for me in her second race last August at Colonial Downs,” said Ortiz. “She pretty much sprinted. I wanted to see what she did going two turns and she blew the doors off in her last race.”

Jockey Reylu Gutierrez has the call and will break from the far outside post at odds of 3-1. The talented young rider will make his second appearance in the Houston Ladies Classic after riding Jeweled Princess last year for Kenny McPeek.

Shipping from Fair Grounds in New Orleans will be Lothenbach Stable's Inc's Audrey's Time who just won the $75,000 Joseph Spanky Broussard Stakes for trainer Neil Pessin. Corey Lanerie has the return call aboard the 5-year-old daughter of Uncle Mo. Trainer Michael Stidham has entered Velvet Crush, a 5-year-old Tapit mare bred in Kentucky by Calumet Farms and owned by Famousstyle Stables, LLC. Stakes placed at Monmouth Park and Belmont Park, she ran third to Audrey's Time at Fair Grounds last month. Current Sam Houston leading jockey Ry Eikleberry has the call and will break from the rail at odds of 8-1.

Trainer Scott Gelner who competed in last year's edition of the race with Shes Our Fastest for Norman Racing Stables, will saddle Becca's Rocket for the same connections with Adam Beschizza in the irons. The 4-year-old daughter of Orb will be making her 16th career start. Golden Curl, owned by George A. Sharp, will ship in from Turfway Park. The 6-year-old Curlin mare is trained by Shawn H. Davis with Tyler Gafflione flying in from Gulfstream Park to ride. Champagne Affair will make her Sam Houston debut for owners L & G Racing Stable. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Daredevil will be ridden by Ernesto Valdez-Jiminez for trainer Cesar Govea.

The field for the Houston Ladies Classic, will run as the seventh race, with an approximate post time of 4:53 pm (CT). The field, from the rail, with jockeys and morning line odds:

Velvet Crush, Ry Eikleberry (8-1); Audrey's Time, Corey Lanerie (7-2); Pauline's Pearl, Joel Rosario (6-5); Becca's Rocket, Adam Beschizza, (10-1); Champagne Affair, Ernesto Valdez-Jiminez (30-1); Golden Curl, Tyler Gafflione (20-1) and The Mary Rose, Reylu Gutierrez (3-1).

Inaugurated in 2013, the Houston Ladies Classic was awarded its graded status by the American Graded Stakes Committee in 2016. It anchors the annual Houston Racing Festival, which also includes the G3, $200,000 John B. Connally Turf Cup, the $200,000 Bob Bork Texas Turf Mile, the $100,000 Pulse Power Turf Sprint, the $75,000 Jersey Lilly Turf Stakes and the $75,000 Stonerside Sprint.

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Houston Ladies Classic Gets Purse Bump

The GIII Houston Ladies Classic and GIII John B. Connally Turf Cup headline Sam Houston Race Park's 2022 stakes Thoroughbred schedule, which will offer $2,275,000 in total purses. The expanded 50-day meet will begin Thursday, Jan. 6.

With track officials expressing hopes that the North American Graded Stakes committee will boost its status from Grade III for 2022, the purse for the Houston Ladies Classic has been increased from $300,000 to $400,000. Slated this year for Jan. 30 as part of the Houston Racing Festival, the Ladies Classic has been won by some high-profile fillies and mares in its nine renewals, including superstar Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) in 2019 and likely champion older female Letruska (Super Saver) this year.

The Houston Racing Festival will also feature the $200,000 Connally, $100,000 Pulse Power Turf Sprint, $75,000 Jersey Lilly Turf S., $75,000 Stonerside Sprint and the $200,000 Bob Bork Texas Turf Mile–formerly the Texas Turf Mile–for sophomores.

Bork, the former president of Sam Houston, passed away in June at the age of 83.

“Bob Bork set a tremendous foundation for the growth of Sam Houston Race Park when he was hired in 1995,” said Dwight Berube, the track's vice president and general manager. “Throughout his 12-year tenure, he was admired by horsemen, horseplayers and employees and initiated many programs that have been emulated by racetracks across the country. We look forward to honoring him on the premier day of our upcoming racing season.”

The Ladies Classic and Connally will be run Lasix-free.

Frank Hopf, who was recently promoted to the role of assistant general manager, said of the upcoming meet, “Over the past three years, we have received tremendous support from all of the stakeholders in Texas and the horseplayers have responded to the improved racing product. The goal is to build on the positives from 2021 and continue to enhance Texas racing.”

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Spooky Channel Gets Perfectly Timed Ride To Win John B. Connally Turf Cup

Trainer Mike Maker had his streak of six consecutive victories in the John B. Connally Turf Cup at Sam Houston Race Park in Houston, Texas, snapped last year when Brad Cox-trained Dot Matrix defeated Bemma's Boy and Marzo from Maker's deep stable of turf runners.

Maker came loaded again this year, with three starters in Sunday's $200,000, Grade 3 Turf Cup, just as he did in 2020. Once again, however, he had to settle for the minor awards as 3-2 favorite Spooky Channel, from the Brian Lynch stable, collared Maker's pace-setting Conviction Trade inside the furlong pole, then held off a furious late rally by Maker-trained Ajourneytofreedom to win by a neck.

Spooky Channel, a 6-year-old English Channel gelding owned by Terry Hamilton, was clocked in 2:30.94 on a firm grass course for the 1 1/2 miles of the Turf Cup. He paid $5 for the win, his ninth in 18 career starts. Ajourneytofreedom finished a length ahead of Conviction Trade, giving Maker a 2-3 finish for the second year in a row. Tenfold was fourth for trainer Steve Asmussen, with Ken McPeek-trained Signalman fifth in the field of a dozen older runners.

The John B. Connally Turf Cup was one of six stakes – two of them graded – offering over $1 million in purses on Sunday's Houston Racing Festival as Sam Houston Race Park in Houston, Texas,

It was a big day for the track, with a record $5.3 million wagered on the 10-race card.

“We are thrilled with the success of this year's Houston Racing Festival and getting a record handle of $5.3 million,” said Frank Hopf, senior director of racing. “It was a team effort from everyone at Sam Houston and our thanks go out to all the horsemen and owners for supporting our meet. This would not be possible without our horseplayers, both here in Texas and nationally. It was a great day.”

Leparoux allowed Spooky Channel to settle into fifth position after breaking from the 10-post in the three-turn Turf Cup. Rafael Hernandez put Conviction Trade in front from the start, going an opening quarter mile in :24.57, a half mile in :48.97 and six furlongs in 1:14.00. Leparoux began asking Spooky Channel to pick it up with a half mile to run, the mile clocked in 1:40.52, and by the time they reached the quarter pole, after 1 1/4 miles in 2:05.67, he was on the front-runner's right flank.

Conviction Trade fought back and maintained a half-length lead with a furlong to run, but Spooky Channel finally put him away just as Ajourneytofreedom and Jesus Castanon emerged on the scene with a powerful stretch rally that came up just short at the wire.

“I have ridden him before and felt he would like this turf course,” said Leparoux. “Brian and I talked and we knew he would have enough to come off the pace and make his run. He left it up to me and the horse did exactly what he hoped for.”

Spooky Channel began his racing career for Hamilton in Arizona in the care of trainer Clay Brinson, winning six of his first eight starts at Turf Paradise, including the 1 7/8-mile Hasta La Vista Handicap.

After shipping east and being transferred to Lynch's barn (following one off-the-board finish at Canterbury Park), Spooky Channel has won three of nine, including the G3 W.L. McKnight Stakes at Gulfstream Park in January 2020. Following a sixth-place finish in the G1 Manhattan Stakes at Belmont Park last July 4, was given some time off, then returned to be fourth in the G2 Ft. Lauderdale at Gulfstrealm Park on Dec. 12. He trained up to the Turf Cup at Palm Meadows Training Center in South Florida.

“It was exciting to be part of the big stakes day at Sam Houston Race Park,” said Lynch from his base in South Florida. “Spooky Channel is a true marathoner and ran a great race. Julien is a multiple Eclipse winning rider and I am one of his biggest fans. I am grateful to my owner Terry Hamilton, who is also a great friend.”

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