Two Texas Thoroughbred Association $150,000 futurities highlight Lone Star Park’s July 13 Stars of Texas Day
Five stakes on tap as thoroughbred racing wraps up Sunday
By Martha Claussen
GRAND PRAIRIE, Tx. – An overflow field of Accredited Texas-Bred fillies and mares will compete at one mile on the turf in the final stakes of the program, the $75,000 Fiesta Mile Stakes.
Defending champion Imaluckycharm, owned by Carl R. Moore Management, was a gate-to-wire winner last July for trainer Karen Jacks. This year, the 5-year-old daughter of My Golden Song continued her winning ways at Sam Houston Race Park with a victory in the
$75,000 San Jacinto Turf Stakes on Texas Champions Day. It marked the first stakes win for talented young rider Erik Asmussen.
Imaluckycharm’s 7-year-old half-sister No Mas Tequila also is entered. The two accomplished mares are the high earners for Jacks, who has been training since 2012. Owned by James Sills, No Mas Tequila has banked $466,402 while Imaluckycharm has earned $339,330 for her owner.
“We were thinking it was time for No Mas to become a mama, but she’s not ready yet,” said Jacks. “Both mares are so talented; one is big and strong and the other is small and good. When they run in the same race, I just close my eyes and hope for the best!”
Fortunately for Jacks, they have drawn apart in the Fiesta Mile with Imaluckycharm breaking from post position two under regular rider Ernesto Valdez-Jimenez and No Mas Tequila and Erik Asmussen leaving from gate 11.
Darrell W. Bravenec’s Tudela became a stakes winner earlier this year, winning the $75,000 Miss Bluebonnet Stakes at Sam Houston in a driving finish under rider Rene Diaz. He will have the call on Saturday aboard the 6-year-old Holiday Promise mare for trainer Jaime Castellanos.
Martha Claussen (shown in photo with Stewart Elliott) has been involved in the racing industry since 1997. She served as publicity director for Sam Houston Race Park for 10 years and continues to be active in writing, fan education and racing publicity in Texas, Louisiana, Indiana and other regions in North America.
