Sam Houston: Southern Style makes rare turf start in Champion Energy Services

Southern Style has won 12 races in his career, and while none of them has come on turf, he still rates as a leading contender in Saturday night’s $75,000 Champion Energy Services, a five-furlong sprint on the grass at Sam Houston Race Park.

Southern Style has raced on turf just twice in his career, including his last start at Fair Grounds on Dec.  17, when he was third to Chamberlain Bridge, the winner of the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint in 2010, in the $75,000 Bonapaw.

“I was itching to get him back on the turf, and he really stepped up for me,” said Maynard Chatters, who owns and trains Southern Style. 
Southern Style will be making his first start at Sam Houston. But he’s the kind of horse that takes his track with him, said Chatters, and he has also been successful at the distance he is shortening up to Saturday.

“He will run on any kind of track, and he has set a record at five furlongs,” Chatters said. “He’s a cool horse.”

The chief threats appear to be a pair of runners who win often, Trelawny and Solar Charge. Trelawny, who also invades from Fair Grounds, has won four of his last five starts.

Solar Charge, a winner of seven of his last nine starts, took the $50,000 Spirit of Texas last out at Sam Houston.