Pauline's Pearl returns to Houston Ladies Classic

The fields are set for the premier day of Thoroughbred racing at Sam Houston Race Park, the Houston racing festival on Saturday. The card features the Grade 3, $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic and the Grade 3, $200,000 John B. Connally Turf Cup.

Pauline's Pearl leads Houston Ladies Classic

Now in its eleventh running, the Houston Ladies Classic, at a mile and one-sixteenth on the main track, has been a springboard for top older fillies and mares.  Hall of Fame conditioner Steve Asmussen will go for his fourth victory in the stakes with Stonestreet Stable LLC’s homebred and defending champion Pauline’s Pearl. The filly by Tapit out of the Dixie Union mare Hot Dixie Chick, drew post position five with Stewart Elliott  riding the 6-5 morning line favorite.

Following last year’s victory, Pauline’s Pearl ran in four graded stakes, winning the La Troienne (G1) at Churchill Downs on May 6.  This will be her first start since running third in the Fleur De Lis (G2) last July. Asmussen has been targeting the Houston Ladies Classic for her 2023 campaign with a series of works at Fair Grounds, including her most recent five furlong work in 1:00.8 on Jan. 15.

“She is a tremendous Stonestreet Stables homebred who got her year off to a good start in the Houston Ladies Classic, then winning a Grade 1,” stated Asmussen of the mare, who has banked $1,695,200 in 15 career efforts. “We are definitely trying to duplicate that.”

Asmussen is 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 the 2019 champion older dirt female. He also captured the 2020 Houston Ladies Classic with Lady Apple is a 5-year-old daughter of Curlin owned by Phoenix Thoroughbred III.

Trainer Bret Calhoun, who has been running Thoroughbreds at Sam Houston since its opening in 1994, will send in Hidden Connection for owners Hidden Brook Farm and Black Type Thoroughbreds. The Kentucky-bred filly, sired by Connect, won the 2021 Pocahontas Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs before finishing fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).

“She showed up early and was very talented, with a high cruising speed and the ability to carry it,” said Calhoun. “Following the Oaks, we gave her time off and she bounced back well.”

Calhoun ran the dark bay filly in a mile and one-sixteenth allowance on December 16 at Fair Grounds in which she rallied gamely, winning by a margin of 7 1/2 lengths. That victory opened up plenty of options for her 4-year-old campaign, with the goal of competing in the Apple Blossom (G1) at Oaklawn.

“I liked the way Hidden Connection won at Fair Grounds and feel she is at a peak level of fitness,” he added.

Jockey Reylu Gutierrez has the call and will break from post No. 4 at odds of 3-1. The talented young rider will make his third appearance in the Houston Ladies Classic after riding The Mary Rose last year for trainer Johnny Ortiz.

Also shipping from Fair Grounds in New Orleans will be Susan Moulton’s Oliviaofthedesert.  Sired by Bernardini, the 5-year-old mare exits a victory in the Blushing K. D. Stakes on Dec. 26. The multiple-stakes winner will make her 23rd start for trainer Wayne Catalano, who  has given the call to veteran jockey James Graham.

Lothenbach Stables Inc.’s homebred She Can’t Sing will make her Sam Houston debut for trainer Chris Block. The 6-year-old mare, also sired by Bernardini out of a Distorted Humor mare Distorted Music, has won eight of her 33 lifetime starts, most recently the Chilukki (G3) at Churchill Downs. Jareth Loveberry has the riding assignment for Block, who will also ship in defending champion Another Mystery.

“We had a few options for this mare,” acknowledged Block. “She’s been working well since winning at Churchill (on Nov. 19). Owner Bob Lothenbach and I felt she deserves a chance.”

Sixtythreecaliber, owned by My Racehorse Stable and Spendthrift Farm, shipped in for trainer Tom Amoss. The 4-year-old filly by Gun Runner has won five of her seven career starts and exits a victory in the Comely (G3) Stakes on November 25 at Aqueduct. Kendrick Carmouche has the return call and will break from post position six.

Conditioner Brendon Walsh will send in Moon Swag for owner Farfellow Farm, Ltd. The 5-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon won the “Spanky” Broussard Memorial Stakes last month at Fair Grounds. Corey Lanerie , who was the Sam Houston Race Park leading rider in 1995 and 1996, will ride the mare bred by Spendthrift Farm.

Completing the field is Fast and Feminine, who will make her stakes debut for owner/trainer Randy Snipes. The 4-year-old filly by Oxbow won an allowance at Sam Houston on January 20 under rider Weston Hamilton, who will guide the Kentucky-bred filly from the rail.

The Houston Ladies Classic will run as the ninth race, with an approximate post time of 6:25 p.m. EST.

Spooky Channel, Another Mystery return to John B. Connally

The John B. Connally Turf Cup attracted 12 turf specialists, including its last two winners: 2021 champion Spooky Channel and 2022 winner Another Mystery.

NBS Stable’s Spooky Channel has been installed as the 5-2 morning line choice. The son of elite turf stallion English Channel out of the Kitten’s Joy mare Spooky Kitten has won 12 of his 26 starts, with lifetime earnings of $661,722. Following his victory in the 2021 Grade 3, Sycamore at Keeneland, the Kentucky-bred gelding had an extended layoff. He returned to action last month at Fair Grounds, winning the Buddy Diliberto Memorial. Trainer Jason Barkley and his owners were pleased with the performance of Spooky Channel.

“He was training well so we decided to run him at Fair Grounds,” said Barkley. “We had considered retiring him, but he had a huge comeback effort and came out of the race really well.”

Jockey James Graham, who rode Fantasioso to a thrilling dead heat finish with Another Mystery in last year’s edition of the Connally, has the call aboard the now 8-year-old Spooky Channel. He will break from post No. 7.

“James is a very accomplished turf rider,” added Barkley. “The horse has a true affinity for the turf and can cover a lot of ground. We are looking forward to Saturday’s race.”

Trainer Chris Block will saddle Another Mystery, who returns for the third time in the mile and one-half Connally. The 7-year-old Illinois-bred son of Temple City ran sixth here in 2020, but closed with authority last year under rider Jareth Loveberry to catch Fantasioso at the wire. It was the first dead heat in the 27-year history of the turf championship.

“I actually thought he had won it, but we were really proud of his effort,” said Block. “He’s obviously a three-turn horse and gets better the further he goes. In 2020, he did not have the preparation we wanted, coming into the race with just ten days rest. He had a real good work at Fair Grounds (on January 21) and Jareth always puts him in good position.”

Team Block won the 2006 Connally Turf Cup with Fort Prado. They bred and campaigned Another Mystery’s dam Ioya Two, who was a Grade 3 winner.

Houston racing festival undercard

Saturday's card at Sam Houston also features three other stakes, each with a $100,000 purse.

The Bob Bork Texas Turf Mile, open to 3-year-olds, drew a field of eight. The race features 2022 Bourbon (G2) winner Andthewinneris for trainer Wayne Catalano. Bred in Kentucky, the colt by Oscar Performance also competed in the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf before finishing his 2-year-old season in the $100,000 Gun Runner at Fair Grounds, where he ran fifth. He will face several accomplished rivals, including Private Creed, who has never missed a check in five turf races for trainer Steve Asmussen.

The Bara Lass is a six-furlong dirt sprint open to Texas-bred sophomore fillies. Fast Track has been installed as the 3-1 morning line favorite in the field of 12. Sired by Fast Anna, she made two starts last July at Lone Star Park for trainer Steve Asmussen. Her four-furlong bullet work of 47.20 seconds here on January 20, signals her fitness off the layoff.

Twelve 3-year-old Texas-bred colts and geldings clash in the six-furlong Groovy Stakes. Lil Sweet Thang, who competed in both the Clever Trevor and Springboard Mile at Remington Park, is the 7-2 morning-line favorite for trainer Donnie K. Von Hemel. A winner of two of his four starts, he faces Texas-bred company for the first time in his career.