Calhoun starts four in Stallion Stakes

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - It is not a surprise that trainer Bret Calhoun has four starters in the $125,000 fillies division of the Texas Stallion Stakes at Lone Star Park on Saturday.

He has won eight races for 2-year-olds during the meet, with six of those victories coming with fillies. That success gives Calhoun a strong hand in the Texas Stallion, one of five undercard stakes on the $575,000 Stars of Texas Day program at Lone Star.

Calhoun will start Cats Legend, Dyna's Gold Legend, Final Trick, and Sauternes in the 5 1/2-furlong race for the offspring of eligible stallions. They will all race as separate betting interests. Before the post-position draw Thursday, Calhoun said he thought his entrants' running styles complemented each other.

"I think they all can do a little something different," said Calhoun. "Mainly, I would say will be the one that will definitely be off the pace more than the others, but I think the other three are pretty versatile as far as seeing how the race goes, playing off the break. They can be on or off the pace, depending on how the race sets up."

is the most accomplished of the group with a trial win and a third-place finish in the $131,000 fillies division of the Texas Thoroughbred Association Sales Futurity.

"In the final, she got down on the inside and was in a tremendous speed duel, and I think that hindered her chances," said Calhoun, noting she won her trial from off the pace May 25.

wired the field in her maiden win June 25.

"I don't necessarily think that's her style," said Calhoun. "I think she'd probably be more comfortable in a little bit of a stalking position, but she can do either one."

Sauternes comes off a maiden win June 23.

"She laid right up there with them and drew off," said Calhoun.

Leading rider Cliff Berry has won with all of the fillies and was aboard each of them in her last start. Saturday, he will ride Dyna's Gold Legend.

"That was his choice," said Calhoun. "That's the only fair way to do it. He rode them all and he deserved to have the pick."

Brick Crew steps into stakes company for the $125,000 colts and geldings division of the Texas Stallion Stakes following an impressive last-to-first debut win for trainer Joe Petalino.

Crescent Lake after fourth win of meet

Calhoun had a choice to make with Crescent Lake, who has won three races at the meet. She was eligible for the $50,000 Valor Farm Stakes for 3-year-old fillies over six furlongs, or she could go two turns against fillies and mares in the $100,000 Allen Bogan Memorial.

Crescent Lake will be going the distance Saturday.

"I think her numbers are fairly similar going short and long, and I just thought the route race might not be quite as tough," said Calhoun.

Crescent Lake, who has won at six furlongs and one mile this meet, will be one of the favorites in the Bogan, while the Valor Farm has drawn two standouts in Tizzy Girl, who defeated eventual Grade 1 winner Round Pond in February, and Rhome Magic, who has won her last two, including the $50,000 JEH Stallion Station.

War Bridle in Goodman Memorial

War Bridle will return to the Texas-bred ranks in the $50,000 Goodman Memorial, a 6 1/2-furlong race for 3-year-olds. In his last start, he finished second in the $100,000 Alysheba, a six-furlong race that went in 1:08.40.

War Bridle set a strong pace in that race and ran on well through the stretch. Quincy Hamilton has the mount for trainer Tommie Morgan.