Stars come out for stakes-laden card

Lone Star Park has drawn a pair of All American Futurity winners, a top class 3-year-old, and arguably the best older Quarter Horse in the nation for Saturday night’s card of six stakes featuring the Grade 1, $1.1 million Texas Classic Futurity.

The 12-race program includes the Grade 1, $393,416 Texas Classic Derby led by Empressum and the Grade 1, $200,000 Refrigerator Invitational Championship that drew champion Danjer and 2018 All American Futurity winner Apocalyptical Jess. First post is 6:05 p.m. Central.

Kj Desparado, winner of this year’s All American Futurity, goes in the Texas Classic Futurity. The outstanding cast includes another Grade 1 winner in Jet Black Grace, who is unbeaten in five starts, and San Lorenzo Tay, a stakes winner who is 4 for 4.

But before the starter springs the latch for the richest race in Texas, all eyes will be on Danjer in the Refrigerator. The 440-yard race is the first of the three Grade 1 stakes that will close out the card. Danjer, the reigning champion older male who won two Grade 1 races in 2020, has built an even more impressive résumé in 2021. He’s won three Grade 1 stakes – the Remington Park Invitational Championship, the All American Gold Cup, and the Challenge Championship.

The latter race was a tour-deforce performance on Oct. 23 at the Downs at Albuquerque.

“It was pretty self-explanatory,” said Dean Frey, who bred, co-owns, and trains Danjer. “He was the best horse that day, for sure.”

Danjer won by two lengths, while covering 440 yards in 20.73 seconds. The effort improved his record to 14 wins from 25 starts for earnings of $1.3 million. He’s the best horse ever bred by Frey.

“My dad was a trainer and I rode a little bit then I trained,” Frey said. “You always dreamed of having one like him, but don’t really believe it will happen. He’s made it all happen. I don’t know that I deserve him, but I’m sure proud to have him.

“This is something I really would have liked to have enjoyed with my dad.”

Frey intended to name his Oklahoma-bred runner Danger due to the horse being out of the mare Shez Jess Toxic. But the name was taken, so Frey said he took a suggestion from Jackie Boggs of the American Quarter Horse Association and swapped the “g” for “j” in what has become a popular name. Danjer has been settled in for a while at Lone Star and will likely be making his final start of the year Saturday.

“After he gallops, I take him to graze and roll,” Frey said. “He’s just as cool as can be. He’s always interested in things on the way to the racetrack. He stops and looks and checks everything out – just takes his time. He likes to train . . . he likes to run. He knows he’s a champion. He goes out there and gives you everything he’s got.”

Cody Smith has the mount from post 11.

Empressum enters the Texas Classic Derby with an outstanding record this year. He has won 8 of 9 starts this season, his most recent a three-length blowout during the Nov. 5 trials at Lone Star Park. The winner of this year’s Ruidoso and Rainbow derbies will break from post 7.