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SOLID FIELD ASSEMBLED FOR SATURDAY’S $50,000 JERSEY
LILLY STAKES AT SAM HOUSTON RACE PARK
Feb 4, 2012
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Saturday's feature at Sam Houston Race Park is the
$50,000 Jersey Lilly,
a mile and one-sixteenth stakes over the Connally Turf
Course. The draw took place on Wednesday, February 1 and
attracted a competitive field of 11 fillies and mares.
Artemus
Kitten,
a 4-year-old daughter of Kitten's Joy, will make her Sam
Houston debut for her owner and breeder, Kenneth
and Sarah Ramsey. She is trained by Michael
Maker, who shipped in Papaw Bodie, the winner
in last Saturday's Grade 3, $200,000 Connally Turf Cup.
Artemus Kitten is stakes-placed and comes into the
Jersey Lilly off a turf allowance prep at Fair Grounds
on January 11. Jermaine Bridgmohan will ride from
post position nine.
Trainer
Donnie K. Von Hemel is hopeful that Always In My
Heart will return to her winning form for Pin Oak
Stable. The 6-year-old mare made her last start last
August at Saratoga. Von Hemel shipped her to Remington
Park, but had some bad luck as she prepared for a return
to the racetrack.
"She came
out of the Saratoga race in great shape," said Von Hemel
from his Oaklawn Park base. "She injured her leg in the
stall, and when we finally got her going, we couldn't
get a race. She's graded-stakes placed on the turf and
thought she deserved a shot in this race."
Von Hemel
named Lindey Wade to ride the Hennessy mare; Wade
and Quincy Hamilton tied for leading riding honors last
year at Sam Houston. He has been riding at Oaklawn Park
in 2012, but will be given a warm welcome by many fans
this Saturday evening.
Category
Seven
has earned
$562,911 for James Perron Racing Stable and the
7-year-old mare will make the 53rd start of her career
for trainer Kenneth L. Hargrave. The Florida-bred
mare will be ridden by Marlon St. Julien who was
in the saddle for her stakes victory last June at
Indiana Downs.
Pleasantly
Blessed
was the
runner-up in both the 2008 and 2010 editions of the
Jersey Lilly Stakes and the 8-year-old daughter of
Pleasant Tap cannot be overlooked. Owned and trained by
Steve Asmussen, she has won seven turf starts,
including the $50,000 Ricks Memorial last September at
Remington Park.
Badness
scored in front-running fashion in the $50,000 San
Jacinto Stakes on opening night of the Sam Houston meet
for trainer Andy Konkoly. The Texas-bred
daughter of Midway Road is owned by Sierra Racing
Stable LLC, and will reunite with apprentice
Ernesto Valdez-Jiminez.
"She hasn't
slowed down a bit since her win in the San Jacinto,"
said Konkoly. "This race has come up tougher, but my
horse likes a wet track, so if we are off the turf, she
will still run well."
The complete
field from the rail, with jockeys: Lookinforchange,
Larry Taylor; Vickies In Town, Chris Landeros; Miss
Hockaday, Jenna Joubert; Pleasantly Blessed, Roman
Chapa; Wanna Cuddle, Jeffery Burningham; Badness,
Ernesto Valdez-Jiminez; Always In My Heart, Lindey Wade;
Patty's Pride, Glen Murphy; Artemus Kitten, Jermaine
Bridgmohan; Category Seven, Marlon S. Julien and
Tickleyourfancy, Erik McNeil.
The $50,000
Jersey Lilly Stakes will run as the eighth race of the
Saturday evening card, with a post time of 10:02 p.m.
(CT).
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