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. –The 2-year-old Thoroughbreds who are emerging as the rising racetrack stars in Texas will be revealed this Saturday, July 13 during Stars of Texas Day at Lone Star Park. Post time for the nine-race program is 1:35 p.m. (Central) with five stakes highlighted by two divisions of the $150,000 Texas Thoroughbred Association Futurity.
During the final day of Lone Star Park’s 2024 Thoroughbred meet, another nine-race card will run on Sunday, July 14.
The first stakes on Stars of Texas Day is the colts and geldings division of the $150,000 Texas Thoroughbred Association Futurity, which will run as race five. A field of seven TTA Sale graduates will compete at the distance of 5 1/2 furlongs on the main track.
Don’t Backdown, a 2-year-old colt by Street Boss, was purchased by Endeavor Racing Stable LLC for $265,000. The sale topper, bred by Stoneview Farm Inc., is trained by Bret Calhoun and ran second in a $33,000 maiden special weight at Lone Star Park on June 15.
“He weighed 1,180 pounds at the sale,” Calhoun said. “He is a big, well-bred colt but was heavy. We needed to get a prep race in him prior to the TTA Futurity. I was not disappointed in that effort.”
Trainer Steve Asmussen will saddle Ring Seeker for breeder and owner W. S. Farish. The son of Too Much Bling will break from post three under Erik Asmussen following an impressive 10-length win over a sloppy track in the $94,000 Staunch Avenger division of the Texas Stallion Stakes on June 1.
“He’s another nice Too Much Bling,” said Asmussen. “We were impressed with his debut and expect he will continue to progress. I am proud to continue to have the support of Mr. Farish.”
Last year, young trainer Jayde Gelner won this division with Norman Racing Stables LLC’s Strong Promise, who went on to win two stakes in Louisiana and a game runner-up finish in the $111,000 Texas Thoroughbred Association Derby on March 23 at Sam Houston Race Park. Gelner owns and trains Midnight Humor, who will break to the inside of Ring Seeker under Floyd Wethey Jr. The gelding by Spun to Run has made two starts at Lone Star Park, winning a five-furlong maiden special weight on June 9.
Trainer H. Ray Ashford will saddle two entrants: Good Product, who broke his maiden on June 15, drew the rail for owner Ron A. Stolich. Luis Quinonez has the return call aboard the gelding sired by Good Samaritan. Jockey Fernando Jara will guide Brant Shafer’s Brushy Bill, a colt by Early Flyer who exits a third-place finish on June 28. Lone Star Racing Club’s Texas Creed finished second in that $44,000 maiden special weight for trainer Ronnie Cravens.
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.
