Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Direct Dial brings streak into Star of Texas Stakes
Direct Dial will attempt to win his fourth consecutive Texas-bred stakes race on Saturday night in the $100,000 Star of Texas at Sam Houston Race Park.
The race is one of seven divisional statebred stakes on the $700,000 Texas Champions Day program. The 11-race card includes an appearance by Redatory, the reigning Texas-bred of the year, who faces nemesis Sunlit Song and Moojab Jr in the $100,000 Richard King. First post is 5:55 p.m. Central for one of the most significant programs of the year in Texas.
Direct Dial has been one of the most significant Texasbreds in training for years. He swept the Texas Stallion Stakes series at the ages of 2 and 3 and was the Texas Thoroughbred Association’s horse of the year in 2018.
In more recent times, Direct Dial has won his last three appearances in Texas-bred stakes, taking the Spirit of Texas and Wayne Hanks Memorial last summer at Lone Star Park and the H-Town on Feb. 27 at Sam Houston.
“I love the idea of him being in a race called the Star of Texas,” said Steve Asmussen, who trains Direct Dial for his breeder, Will Farish.
Direct Dial will be stretching out from seven furlongs to a mile for the Star of Texas, which is for 4-year-olds and up. He is coming off a four-length victory in the H-Town.
“For him, the seven-eighths race and now going a mile is just a nice, natural progression,” Asmussen said. “He won his only mile dirt race before, and he likes Houston. I like his chances.”
Stewart Elliott has the mount from post 2 on the son of Too Much Bling.
Kenai Bob won last year’s Star of Texas, when the race was moved to Lone Star. He is returning to dirt after running third in the $75,000 Houston Turf over 1 1/16 miles on Feb. 27 at Sam Houston. Ry Eikleberry has the mount from post 4 for trainer Francisco Bravo.
Gold Pilot is part of the sixhorse Star of Texas, but likely will go in the $100,000 Sprint of Texas. It will be run over six furlongs, and trainer Bret Calhoun said the sprint for 4-year-olds and up is the probable target after discussions with the horse’s ownership.
“On paper, it looks like he fits there a little better,” Calhoun said.
Gold Pilot is a winner at the distance at Sam Houston, in last year’s Jim’s Orbit division of the Texas Stallion Stakes. He was the state’s champion 3-year-old male of 2020 and is owned by Wayne Sanders and Larry Hirsch.
Eikleberry has the mount on Gold Pilot, who will add blinkers after closing from last for fourth in the H-Town.
“He didn’t engage, didn’t run like he’d been training,”
Calhoun said. “We’re adding blinkers this time and hope he’ll be more focused, be up in the race a little better.”
‘Discreet Lady’ faces decision
Ima Discreet Lady, the state’s champion older female of 2020, is cross-entered in both offerings for older fillies and mares – the $100,000 San Jacinto at 1 1/16 miles on turf and the $100,000 Yellow Rose at six furlongs on the main track. She is coming off a front-running win at a mile on turf in the $75,000 Miss Bluebonnet on Feb. 27 at Sam Houston, and she won last year’s Yellow Rose.
Trainer Karl Broberg said Tuesday that a race decision would likely be made Saturday.
“We’ll flip a quarter the morning of the race,” he said. “And I’m not sure I’m even joking.
“I like her in both spots. She’s won her last two turf races. I think she’s the horse to beat in that spot, I believe. It doesn’t look like the pace scenario is going to play out how we would like.
“Then you’ve got the unknown in the sprint with the filly [Boerne] that drew the rail. Without her being in the race it would be a no-brainer, I’d be in the sprint, but we’ll just see how it goes.”
Boerne was the state’s champion 3-year-old filly last year after winning the Azalea at Gulfstream Park. She is making her first start against Texasbreds and first for trainer Robertino Diodoro.
“She worked great,” Diodoro said.
Ima Discreet Lady earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 84 for her 4 1/2-length win in the Miss Bluebonnet.
“She ran huge” Broberg said. “We were never able to get a prep in for her as we had discussed and really didn’t know what to think off a five-month layoff. She just did things the right way. She’s so versatile. She added a new dimension showing she can go long on turf.”
Eikleberry has the mount in either race for Raymond Todd White and Duane Coker.
Stone Cafe will be looking for his second straight stakes win in the $100,000 Groovy for 3-year-olds over six furlongs. He was a length winner last out in the Jim’s Orbit at Sam Houston.
“I think he’s becoming pretty consistent,” Calhoun said. “I think it’s a similar group back, and I expect him to run just as well as he did in his last race. I think that puts him right there.”
Calhoun also will saddle Dust Em.
“Dust Em is definitely very capable of winning in this spot,” Calhoun said.
Calhoun sends out Mostly Distorted in the Bara Lass, the 3-year-old filly counterpart to the Groovy, off a runner-up finish in a first-level allowance at Sam Houston.
“I think she’s starting to put things together and deserves this opportunity,” he said.