Texas Chrome to Albuquerque

Texas Chrome is scheduled to arrive in New Mexico on Thursday morning for Saturday night’s $200,000 Downs at Albuquerque Handicap, trainer Allen Milligan said Monday. Texas Chrome is the 122-pound highweight.

The Downs at Albuquerque Handicap is the meet’s premier offering for Thoroughbreds. It will be run over 1 1/8 miles and drew a field of 10. Lindey Wade has the mount on Texas Chrome, who will break from the rail, a draw that suits the horse, said Milligan.

“I think it’s fine with him,” he said. “I’d rather be on the inside than the outside.”

Texas Chrome became a millionaire by winning last month’s Assault Stakes at Lone Star Park. Milligan said Texas Chrome got the call to go to The Downs at Albuquerque because he bounced out of the Assault so well. He won the July 22 race by 1 1/4 lengths and equaled his best Beyer Speed Figure, a 100.

“He’s come back so bright and alert, just training good,” Milligan said Monday. “He was a little frisky Sunday morning on the racetrack.”

Danny Keene owns Texas Chrome, who is just the second Texas-bred to become a millionaire, following Groovy, according to the Texas Thoroughbred Association.

The Downs at Albuquerque Handicap will go as the sixth race on a 10-race program that starts at 6:05 p.m. Mountain. The field, from the rail with riders, is: Texas Chrome, Wade; Ol Winedrinker Who, Enrique Gomez; Hereditary, Martin Bourdieu; Real Heat, David Lopez; Forest Mouse, Ry Eikleberry; American Dubai, Ken Tohill; Concord Fast, Elvin Gonzalez; Neck ‘n Neck, Alfredo Juarez Jr.; Overland Park, Duane Sterling; and Code West, Alex Birzer.

Forest Mouse has a chance to become a millionaire Saturday. He has won four of his last six starts and is sitting at $944,687 in career earnings. He is the third highweight at 120 pounds, with American Dubai, the winner of the Sunland Park Handicap, weighted at 121.

Eramia loaded for Saturday

Louisiana Downs will run nothing but stakes races on Saturday. The nine-race program features the $60,000 Prelude, which is a prep for the Super Derby; the annual Louisiana Cup of divisional stakes for Louisiana-breds; and a couple of turf stakes moved north from Evangeline Downs.

Purses for the card total $460,000. The program is the first of two major stakes days at Louisiana Downs, and the races are expected to produce starters for the Super Derby card of stakes Sept. 9. First post Saturday is 3:15 p.m. Central.

Louisiana Downs leading rider Richard Eramia is named to ride in eight of the nine stakes. Among his top mounts is Mr. Al’s Gal, who will be looking for her sixth straight win when she runs in the $50,000 Louisiana Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.

Eramia on Monday morning was driving from his Texas home to ride at Louisiana Downs. He won the Lone Star Park title on Sunday night, his first at the Dallas-area track. Eramia is a multiple title winner at Louisiana Downs. He has been riding this summer at both tracks, which only conflict on Sundays.

“When Louisiana Downs changed the days they raced, it worked perfect,” said Eramia, who has a house near Lone Star.

Eramia’s other mounts on the Louisiana Downs stakes card are Paternal Pride in the $50,000 John Henry, Safari Calamari in the $50,000 Louisiana Cup Distaff, Girls Life in the $50,000 Louisiana Cup Juvenile Fillies, Extra Credit in the $50,000 Louisiana Cup Turf Classic, Spring Value in the $50,000 Louisiana Cup Sprint, Royal By Nature in the Prelude, and Emerald Pond in the $50,000 Opelousas.

With the Super Derby being moved to grass this year, the Prelude will be run on turf at 1 1/16 miles. The field from the rail is: Fast Talkin Man, Mr. Misunderstood, Royal By Nature, Magic Vow, Queeten, Jilotepec, Score’s Choice, and Mizztic Tale.