Asmussen closes out Lone Star meet on high note

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Grand Slam Andre helped trainer Steve Asmussen close out a banner Lone Star Park meet when he rolled to a three-length win in the season-ending $75,000 Middleground Stakes on Sunday.

Asmussen has now won a record 11 training titles at the track. He also set a record for season wins by a trainer this meet, with 117.

Grand Slam Andre ($6.60) tracked Western Forum and Big Texas Daddy through fractions of 22.89 seconds for the opening quarter and 45.62 for the half-mile. He overtook those two in the stretch and went on to cover the six furlongs for 2-year-olds in 1:10.48.

"I just let those other two horses go ahead of him, let him sit behind them early on, and he gave me a big finish," said Eguard Tejera, who was aboard Grand Slam Andre for owner J. Kirk Robison.

Lone Star Cowboy closed fast for second, with pacesetter Western Forum finishing a nose back in third. Grand Slam Andre won for the second time in four starts, with his other win coming in a maiden special weight at Churchill Downs. He is a son of Grand Slam.