GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas (Saturday, July 16, 2022) — Steve Asmussen trained Fairchild seized the lead going into the stretch and darted away from the field to capture the $150,000 Wasted Tears Stakes by a widening three and one-quarter length victory at the wire.
The Stonestreet Stables LLC homebred daughter of Speightstown entered into the 8.5 furlong stakes event coming off of a third-place finish at Churchill Downs in allowance company in late May for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. The four-year old filly was making only her seventh career start on Saturday at Lone Star Park against a field of five other fillies and mares going postward to open up the Texas Turf Festival Card in Grand Prairie, Texas in the Wasted Tears Stakes.
After sitting right off the early pace in a stalking position, jockey Stewart Elliot angled out Fairchild around the two front-runners going into the stretch. With a sixteenth left to run, Fairchild and Elliot sprinted clear from the field impressively to a decisive victory in front of a fast-closing favorite, Disappearing Act. The Richard Baltas-trained Disappearing Act found a wall of horses in front of her in mid-stretch, and was vigorously ridden by jockey Joe Bravo to a second place finish once racing room was found to capture the place spot.
"The filly really put herself in a great spot going down the backstretch and we were in a nice stalking position," said jockey Stewart Elliot. "When I asked her turning for home she was full of run. She put in a great effort today here on the turf at Lone Star Park."
Fairchild completed the 8.5 furlong Wasted Tears Stakes in a time of 1:42.83, with both Disappearing Act and Quinn Ella rounding out the top three finishers in the wagering. Fairchild improved her career earnings to $178,978 with the win.
$150,000 Grand Praire Turf Sprint
Trainer Jose Camejo shipped in the New York-bred four year-old High Limit Room from Monmouth Park to capture the $150,000 Grand Prairie Turf Sprint with jockey David Cabrera in the irons.
While running a career best effort in the five-furlong sprint stakes, the four year-old son of Karanthos surpassed front runner Sign of War in mid-stretch after Sign Of War had reeled off rapid opening fractions of :21.08 and :44.01 for the half-mile. In deep stretch, under stout urging from Cabrera, High Limit Room continued to rally to the wire for the win, with Sign Of War holding on for second, and the hard charging California shipper, Barristan The Bold, getting up for third for trainer George Papaprodromou.
"The trainer and I talked about the race beforehand and we both felt that there would be a lot of speed up front," said jockey David Cabrera. "We both felt if we could lay right off the speed, and made a run at the front-runners that we would have a great chance. The race unfolded exactly how we discussed, and I am grateful that trainer Jose Camejo had this horse really ready to run today."
Cabrera, who took home leading riding honors at the 2021-2022 Oaklawn Park Thoroughbred meet, captured his first victory of the 2022 Lone Star Park Thoroughbred meet after coming back from a spill sustained at Oaklawn Park on April 8, 2022. Cabrera had been sidelined from the spill that saw him suffer head, neck, and upper back injuries.
High Limit Room stopped the timers for the $150,000 Grand Prairie Turf Sprint Stakes in :56.14, and increased his career earnings to $274,508 from 12 career starts.
$150,000 Chicken Fried Stakes
The forwardly placed Quick Quick Quick pounced on the front runner as the field turned into the stretch, and drew off to win going away in the $150,000 Chicken Fried Stakes with jockey Stewart Elliot aboard.
The seven year-old daughter of Tiago was making her sixth start of 2022 for trainer J.R. Caldwell, and owners Rick and Sheri Rinn in the five-furlong turf contest. The Caldwell-trainee was coming into the stakes event off a winning effort in an allowance-optional claiming race on June 24th at Lone Star Park.
Steve Roubion-trained Princess Phone chased home the eventual winner to settle for second, with 2021 Chicken Fried Stakes winner Yes It's Ginger rallying to finish third for trainer Greg Foley. Quick Quick Quick completed the Chicken Fried Stakes in a time of :56.63.
The 2022 Texas Turf Festival at Lone Star Park showed a sharp growth in attendance from last years event with a total of 6,769 patrons that produced an impressive on-track handle of $578,025 for the nine-race card.
Lone Star Park continues live racing with five Texas-bred stakes events on Sunday, July 17th, highlighted by both divisions of the Texas Thoroughbred Association Futurity. Post-time for the first race on Sunday is at 11am.
Lone Star Park’s Thoroughbred Season of 2022 continues through Sunday July 24, 2022.
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