Asmussen sends 10 horses in two futurities

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Trainer Steve Asmussen has won eight of the last 10 runnings of the fillies division of the $100,000 Texas Thoroughbred Association Sales Futurity at Lone Star Park, and is poised to add to his record on Saturday. He will send out six of the 10 fillies set to start in this year's renewal. Asmussen also will be well represented in the colts division, also here Saturday, with four of the 11 starters in the five-furlong race for 2-year-olds worth $100,000.

"I think that we're in pretty good shape in both of them," said Asmussen.

Minacious was a sharp winner of her trial race May 21, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 69. She stalked the leaders and went on to a 1 1/2-length win in what was her career debut.

"That's Valid Lilly's sister," Asmussen said of Minacious. "She comes with a ribbon on her. Like her sister, she's very manageable, she has quality, and she's easy to get along with."

Valid Lilly was a multiple stakes winner at 2. Asmussen's other starters in the fillies division include Ms Golden West, who was an impressive debut winner here April 26 and finished third as the 2-5 favorite in her trial race May 21.

"She threw a shoe, and that might explain her less-than-her-best performance," said Asmussen.

Also in the fillies division is She Wants Cash, who was third by three-quarters of a length in her trial, which was her career debut.

"I think she has the most chance to improve," said Asmussen.

His other starters are Siding, Bud's Little Edge, and Mama Wata.

Among the colts, the Asmussen-trained Show Me Why could go favored after his May 22 trial race. He set the pace and repulsed bids before opening up to win by six lengths. He earned a Beyer of 74, the best number in the field Saturday.

"He ran impressively, that's for sure," Asmussen said. "And he breezed back beautiful."

Tomball won his maiden in his trial victory. He had finished second in a maiden special weight in his debut on May 2.

"He ran very nice," Asmussen said of Tomball's trial win. "If anything, I was a little disappointed the first time he ran, and then it appeared that he just moved forward from it."

Catarusky was second in his trial to the undefeated Twelve Oclock High, the chief threat to the Asmussen colts Saturday.

"Catarusky is a nice colt that I think closes well in a race that obviously has got a lot of pace," Asmussen said. "He is one that we've liked the whole time."

Asmussen also is represented by Billet, who started his career at Keeneland.