Asmussen will try to get Neom Beach back on turf for Wasted Tears
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GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – The versatile Neom Beach became a stakes winner, after a number of close calls, in the $200,000 Ouija Board Distaff last Monday at Lone Star. The race was moved from turf to a sloppy main track during a rain-soaked card.
“It was going to fall her way one of these days and [Monday] was the day it happened,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “Lovely mare. It just all came together.”
Neom Beach had placed in stakes on both dirt and turf prior to the Ouija Board Distaff.
“She’ll stay at Lone Star and we’ll attempt to run her back on the turf,” Asmussen said. “If there’s a deluge, it doesn’t matter.”
Asmussen said Neom Beach would target the $125,000 Wasted Tears, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares June 28.
Neom Beach was ridden by Asmussen’s son, Erik, and the connections shared the winner’s circle with a large group. Steve Asmussen said they were high school friends of Erik’s. He grew up in nearby Arlington.
“There is not a better ambassador for Lone Star Park,” Asmussen said, noting Erik loves the track and bringing friends to the races.
Erik Asmussen won the Eclipse Award as outstanding apprentice jockey of 2024 and won last year’s riding title at Lone Star.
Neom Beach earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 91. The Wasted Tears will share a card with four open-company turf stakes led by the $250,000 Texas Turf Classic.
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