Calhoun runs four in Got Koko

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Last year, trainer Bret Calhoun accounted for the superfecta with his four starters in a division of the Texas Stallion Stakes at Lone Star Park. On Saturday, two of those fillies and two others from Calhoun's barn will attempt to lock up another Texas Stallion Stakes for their trainer, this time the $125,000 Got Koko Division. The 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-old fillies is one of two undercard stakes supporting the Grade 3, $300,000 Lone Star Derby.

Final Trick won last year's Texas Stallion Stakes by 1 1/2 lengths over Cats Legend, and both are back for Calhoun. His other starters are Shesabigcat, who is coupled with Cats Legend, and She's Open Minded.

"We're hoping to strategically place them in the race where they complement each other," said Calhoun. "Basically, they're unproven around two turns so there are question marks on how the race sets up for each of them."

Cats Legend will make her two-turn debut Saturday and should get much support in the betting. She rallied for a 1 1/2-length win in a 5 1/2-furlong open-company allowance in her last start, March 16, and was flattered when the runner-up from that race, She's Open Minded, came back and won an allowance at Lone Star on April 13.

Cats Legend has since worked well for the Got Koko, and Justin Shepherd will ride.

Cats Legend races for Clarence Scharbauer Jr., who also owns Shesabigcat. Shesabigcat made her two-turn debut last out, finished second, and will be ridden on Saturday by Lone Star's leading jockey, Cliff Berry.

Quincy Hamilton has the mount on Final Trick, who makes her two-turn debut after coming from off the pace in her one-turn races. Glen Murphy will ride She's Open Minded.

Calhoun strong in Stymie

Calhoun will send out two leading contenders in the $125,000 colts-and-geldings division of the Texas Stallion Stakes, which is called the Stymie. Calhoun has Alpha Male, who was a 6 1/4-length maiden winner in his last start, and Private Fight, an allowance winner in his last start at Lone Star.

"I think those two complement each other," said Calhoun. "Alpha Male seems to be speed and he'll be laying close, and Private Fight definitely lays back off the pace."

Others in the 12-horse field include Upstream, a front-runner for trainer Steve Asmussen, and Guacamole, a stakes winner last year for trainer Danny Pish.