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Pauline’s Pearl Gives Asmussen Third Houston Ladies Classic Victory

A very successful renewal of the Houston Racing Festival at Sam Houston Race Park took place on Sunday afternoon in Houston, Texas, with exciting performances throughout the program and tremendous support by horseplayers here and across the country.

For the second year in a row, Sam Houston Race Park set a new all-source handle record with $5.98 million wagered on the 11-race program. This number topped last year's wagering record of 5.3 million and the $5.2 million wagered on the NTRA Great State Challenge in 2002.

Stonestreet Stable LLC's homebred Pauline's Pearl won the richest race on the card, the Grade 3, $400,000 Houston Ladies Classic.

It was the third win in the Houston Ladies Classic for Hall of Fame conditioner Steve Asmussen, who trained previous winners Midnight Bisou and Lady Apple. On Sunday, Pauline's Pearl, at odds of 3-5, joined the list as his third winner of the featured race since the Houston Ladies Classic was inaugurated in 2013.

“This is a very key race and the mares who have won this have a big say in the stakes for older mares,” said Asmussen. “Pauline's Pearl is a very nice Stonestreet homebred who has been training extremely well and we are proud of this victory.”

Asmussen spoke about the future of the talented filly.

“She won the Fantasy at Oaklawn last year, so we will head back to Hot Springs and hope she continues to progress,” he added.

The multiple graded stakes placed filly won the Fantasy (G3) at Oaklawn Park last spring before competing in the Kentucky Oaks (G1). She is a daughter of Tapit and is out of the Dixie Union mare Hot Dixie Chick, a multiple graded stakes winner who Asmussen also trained during her racing career.

With her share of the Houston Ladies Classic purse, Pauline's Pearl is just shy of becoming racing's newest millionaire, with $968,500 earned in 11 starts and four wins.

The victory gave Joel Rosario his second stakes win of the day. The pair sat off the pace early and had their work cut out for them as they swung wide in the final turn and pulled clear of runner-up Golden Curl in the stretch to win by 3 3/4 lengths. The final time for the mile and one-sixteenth on the main track stake on the main track was 1:44.43. Golden Curl sat comfortably in second place throughout the race with Tyler Gaffalione aboard for trainer Shawn Davis.

“The trip set up beautifully for us,” said Gaffalione. “She broke alertly and the favorite went ahead. I was able to get to her outside. She settled nicely and even though we couldn't catch the winner, my filly gave a good performance today.”

The 6-year-old Curlin mare is also bred by Stonestreet and is owned by George Sharp. She made her debut in Houston in the Ladies Classic and was a stakes winner at Remington last fall.

Corey Lanerie and Audrey's Time finished third for trainer Neil Pessin. Owned by Lothenbach Stables, Audrey's Time is a 4-year-old daughter of Uncle Mo who shipped in fresh off a win at the Fair Grounds in the $75,000 Joseph “Spanky” Broussard Stakes.

Becca's Rocket completed the superfecta while pacesetter The Mary Rose finished fifth, followed by Velvet Crush and Champagne Affair.

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Trainer Mike Maker Chasing Eighth Victory In John B. Connally Turf Cup

The Houston Racing Festival will take place on Sunday, Jan. 30 with a special afternoon post time of 1:45 pm (CT). The event includes six stakes, highlighted by the Grade 3, $400,000 Houston Ladies Classic. The second graded stakes feature, the G3, $200,000 John B. Connally Turf Cup, attracted an overflow field of 14 turf specialists.

Trainer Mike Maker has won seven of the past ten editions of the mile and one-half stakes which is run on the Connally Turf Course, named for the late Texas Governor John B. Connally. The esteemed conditioner will saddle three entrants, with a fourth possibility if Shady McGee draws in from the also-eligible list.

Maker's runners this year will include 2021 Connally runner-up, Ajourneytofreedom, who drew post position 11 at odds of 7-2. Owned by Paradise Farm Corp. and David Staudacher, the 5-year-old son of Hard Spun, will be making his 23rd career start. The bay gelding exits the H. Allen Jerkens, a 2-mile feature at Gulfstream Park on Dec. 24. Nationally prominent rider Joel Rosario, who was aboard in the Grade 2, Jockey Gold Cup last June at Belmont Park, has the call.

“He's a deep closer, so the post is really not an issue, said Maker. “This horse always runs a strong race and I have faith that Joel will figure it out.”

Paradise Farm Corp. and David Staudacher also own Malthael, who ran sixth in the H. Allen Jerkens. Claimed by Paradise Farms for a $35,000 in June at Belmont Park, he will break from post seven under up and coming young rider Reylu Gutierrez. The gelded son of Nobel Mission impressed Maker in his allowance victory at Keeneland last October.

“He ran a great race going a mile and a half at Keeneland,” said Maker. “I'm happy to give the mount to Reylu; he won a stakes for me at Finger Lakes (Blue Gator in the 2020 New York Breeders' Futurity). He's riding very well lately.”

Tide of the Sea, a 6-year-old son of English Channel, was given a freshening by Maker following his tenth-place finish in the Grade 2, Red Smith at Aqueduct on November 20. Tyler Gafflione will ride the impeccably bred turf runner who has banked $453,253 in 19 previous efforts. Tide of the Seas is owned by Three Diamonds Farm, who won three editions of the Connally with Bigger Picture.

“We gave him a break after Aqueduct,” said Maker of Tide of the Sea. “He's been training well.”

Maker's past Connally winners include Papa Bodie in 2012; Admiral Kitten in 2014; Coalport in 2015; Da Big Hoss in 2016 and a three-peat by Three Diamonds Farm's Bigger Picture who captured the 2017-2019 editions of the turf stakes. For the past two years, Maker's runners finished second to Dot Matrix in 2020 and Spooky Channel last year. With multiple entrants each year in the Connally, rounding out the exotics is not what Maker is aiming for on Sunday.

“I love coming over to Houston and winning the Connally is something I look forward to each year,” acknowledged Maker. “It will be a busy weekend, but I'm planning on winning the Pegasus and flying to Texas to get my winning streak back on track on Sunday!”

Maker's trio will have some very stiff competition from a number of quality turf runners including Fantasioso. Co-owned by Jeff Bloom and Ignacio Correas, IV, the 7-year-old Argentinian bred gelding, has won five of his 31 starts, and will make his Sam Houston debut off a third-place finish to Ajourneytofreedom in the aforementioned Allen Jerkins at Gulfstream Park. James Graham will pilot Fantasioso from post position six at morning line odds of 9-2.

“He's a seasoned veteran,” said Bloom, who purchased the son of Strategic Prince with Correas last year. “We have been looking at the Connally for some time as he's run twice at two miles, but we believe this distance will suit him. James rides a lot for Ignacio and is one of the more capable turf riders on the circuit.”

Team Block, who won the 2006 Connally with Fort Prado, returns to Houston with Another Mystery. Trained by Chris Block, the Illinois-bred son of Temple City ran sixth in the 2020 edition of this turf handicap. Jareth Loveberry will ride the 6-year-old, who captured the Bob F. Wright Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds in November.

“In the 2020 Connally, he was coming off just ten days rest, but still ran a good race,” said Block. “This is his best distance and a good to firm turf course on Sunday would be ideal. He will face a very competitive field this year but I am looking for a big effort from him.”

Trainer Joe Sharp will send in Logical Myth, a multiple-stakes winner for owner JPS Racing as well as Hierarchy, who surpassed the $400,000 earnings mark for Texas owner Carl Moore Management, LLC.

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.

The Connally Turf Cup will be run as race eight, with an approximate post time of 5:23 pm (CT).The field, from the rail, with riders and morning-line odds: Conviction Trade, Lane Luzzi, 20-1; Hierarchy, Corey Lanerie, 5-1; Tide of the Sea, Tyler Gafflione, 10-1; Strong Tide, Giovanni Franco, 10-1; Decision Maker, Marcelino Pedroza, Jr., 12-1; Fantasioso, James Graham, 9-2; Malthael, Reylu Gutierrez, 12-1; Logical Myth, Adam Beschizza, 6-1; Another Mystery, Jareth Loveberry, 8-1; Dyn O Mite, Stewart Elliott, 20-1; Ajourneytofreedom, Joel Rosario, 7-2; Parrot Head, Ernesto Valdez-Jiminez, , 30-1; Shady McGee (IRE), Richard Eramia ,30-1 and Celerity, Iram Diego, 50-1.

As previously announced, the tenth renewal of the Grade 3, $400,000 Houston Ladies Classic will run as the seventh race on the Houston Racing Festival Card. The field of seven, from the rail, with riders and morning line odds, is as follows: 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.

In addition to the two graded stakes on the Houston Racing Festival card, Sam Houston Race Park will present the following features:

$200,000 Bob Bork Texas Turf Mile- 3YO -1 Mile (T)

$100,000 Pulse Power Turf Sprint – 4&up – 5 Furlongs (T)

$75,000 Jersey Lilly Turf – 4&up F&M – 1 1/16 Mile (T)

$75,000 Stonerside Sprint – 4&up – 6 Furlongs

“We are proud of our Houston Racing Festival, which continues to attract top connections and offer an exceptional afternoon of quality racing,” said Frank Hopf, Sam Houston Race Park's Assistant General Manager. “Our thanks go out to our horsemen for marking our marquee day on their calendar, as well as our tremendous racing fans who support our entire meet with great enthusiasm.”

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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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Sam Houston: Pinky Ring Bling, Eagle Express Favored In Thursday’s Texas Stallion Series Stakes

The first two stakes of the 2022 Sam Houston Race Park Thoroughbred season will take place Thursday, Jan. 20. The $75,000 My Dandy and $75,000 Darby's Daughter will be run at the distance of five and one-half furlongs on the main track. Post time for Thursday's card is 4:00 pm (Central) with the My Dandy running as the opener and the Darby's Daughter to follow.

The Texas Thoroughbred Association sponsors the Clarence Scharbauer Jr. Texas Stallion Stakes Series (TSSS), a set of races for progeny of nominated Texas-based stallions. The series features three sets of races, each split into two divisions (colts/geldings and fillies) for a purse of $75,000 per division. The races honor notable Texas horses of the past.

The Thursday afternoon card begins with 3-year-old colts and geldings in the $75,000 My Dandy. Trainer Ronnie Cravens will saddle the 2-5 morning-line choice, Pinky Ring Bling, who will be ridden by Ernesto Valdez-Jiminez, who piloted Carbon Stryker to victory in last year's edition of the stakes.

The son of Too Much Bling will be making his sixth career start for Lone Star Racing Club. He ran third in the Texas Avenger at Lone Star Park and most recently, in the Kip Deville at Remington Park. Cravens is optimistic that the colt will win his first stakes on Thursday.

“He's just starting to mature,” said Cravens. “ We are seeing more of a professional look to him.”

Cravens and his wife, Melodie, set up an ownership group four years ago. Jerry Cate and Big E are among the Lone Star Racing Club members and several other individuals are proud owners of Pinky Ring Bling, who was a modest $5,000 sale purchase and has already won $36,860.

“We have a nice mix of individuals in our group; some owned Quarter Horses and were interested in getting involved in Thoroughbred racing as well,” added Cravens.

Mary Rampellini, who covers racing in Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and New Mexico for the Daily Racing Form, reported that this would be the first stakes win for Cravens, who won his first career race in 2003.

One other note of interest is that two jockeys riding in the My Dandy share a unique status in Thoroughbred racing; both have fathers who are also active riders. Lane Luzzi, who will pilot Sam Sherman's Bodymoor Heath, is the son of New York veteran rider Mike Luzzi. Jansen Melancon, who will break from the rail aboard Moro Code is the son of Louisiana-based Gerard Melancon.

The field for the My Dandy, from the rail, with riders and morning-line odds:

Moro Code, Jansen Melancon, 10-1; Regal Prize, Stewart Elliott,15-1; Pinky Ring Bling, Ernesto Valdez-Jiminez, 2-5; Bodymoor Heath, Lane Luzzi, 9-2, and Grami's Boy, Alfredo Triana Jr, 7-2.

My Dandy was a 1925 Texas-bred foal who boasted a lifetime record of 191 starts with 47 wins and earnings of $137,923. A true “iron horse,” he ran from 1927 to 1935 and in 1930 made 43 starts in a single year.

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Five fillies will enter the starting gate in the second feature of the day, the $75,000 Darby's Daughter with Eagle Express in pursuit of her second stakes victory.

Bred and owned by W.S. Farish, the daughter of Eagle is trained by Steve Asmussen. The bay filly made two starts last year at Lone Star Park, winning the Texas Stallion Stakes on June 13 before running sixth in the Grade 3, Schuylerville Stakes at Saratoga. She has earned $65,260 in five starts.

“She a nice filly and already a stakes winner,” said Asmussen, who has been dividing his time between Oaklawn Park and Fair Grounds. “We expect a good effort from her.”

Valor Farm in Pilot Point Texas, is well-represented in both features. Too Much Bling has topped the standings from 2013 -2019, and their stallion roster also includes Braedster, My Golden Song, Competitive Edge and first crop sire, Eagle.

“Eagle is a son of Candy Ride and we have always respected the quality of horses bred by Mr. Farish,” added Asmussen, who has won 13 Sam Houston Race Park training titles.

Trainer Danny Pish has two starters in the Darby's Daughter. Its a Gee Thing, sired by Early Flyer, who he owns along with GFB Racing LLC and Mike Renfro. Pish will also saddle Kim's Texas Bling, a filly by Texas Bling, bred and owned by Halls Family Trust.

Last year's winner, Michael Grossman's Star of the North also captured the $75,000 Two Altazano Stakes at Sam Houston before returning to Canterbury Park. The filly by The Hunk added three more victories and a runner-up finish in the $110,00 Minnesota Oaks. She completed her 2022 campaign with seven wins from ten starts and earnings of $299,850.

The Darby's Daughter will run as race two. The field from the rail, , with riders and morning-line odds:

Its a Gee Thing, Danny Sorenson, 6-1; Amazonian Queen, Gerardo Mora, 4-1; Texas Thunder, Ernesto Valdez-Jiminez, 15-1; Eagle Express, Stewart Elliott, 6-5, and Kim's Texas Bling, Jose Alvarez, 8-5.

Darby's Daughter made her racing debut in 1988, winning two stakes at Louisiana Downs, the Grade 2, Miss Grillo at Aqueduct and the San Clemente Handicap at Del Mar. She retired with an impressive record of five wins from 15 starts and earnings of $435,104.

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