Carry the Memories stands out in Texas-bred Championship
Carry the Memories has a recent company line that suggests he will start as a solid favorite in Saturday night’s $106,000 Texas-bred Championship at Sam Houston Race Park.
The 400-yard race anchors the track’s Texas Night of Champions, which features six Texas-bred stakes worth a total of $480,750. The stakes will be showcased on a card of 12 races that starts at 6:05 p.m. Central.
Sam Houston will have mandatory payouts on its 50-cent pick six that runs on races 7-12, its 50-cent pick five on races 8-12, and its 20-cent Jackpot Hi-5 on race 12.
Carry the Memories is part of a six-horse field for the Championship, which is for 3-year-olds and up over 400 yards. His chief rivals include Kiss My Annee GI and Famous Chief.
Carry the Memories launched his season last out, with a conditioned allowance win on May 15 at Sam Houston. He cruised by a length in the 300-yard race and now returns to the distance over which he faced champion Trump My Record in the Grade 3 B.F. Phillips on Nov. 21 at Lone Star Park. Carry the Memories ran second, and the company line points him out as a major player Saturday.
Pa Cha Ching, who goes in the $80,250 Sam Houston 250 is another runner on the card who has faced Trump My Record. He hooked the champion earlier in his career, when running second to him in the Grade 2 Sam Houston Futurity. Pa Cha Ching is moving to 250 yards Saturday off a start at 110 yards that should have him sharp for the short sprint.
The stakes action starts in the second race with the $80,250 Sam Houston 550. Moment of Fury is moving back to the distance of 550 yards following a close third-place finish in the Grade 2 Sam Houston Classic. The last time he raced at this distance he won the Harris County Stakes over open company on May 14 at Sam Houston.
Jess a Dashin Angela is back in Texas-bred stakes and in a race restricted to fillies and mares after running second by a neck in the Grade 3 Sam Houston Derby on May 14. She will be making her first start against older rivals and her chief threat appears to be Ss Classyjess.
The $81,000 Jesse Yoakum Memorial over 870 yards honors the late jockey-turned-trainer who sent out Beduinos Rusty to win a past running of the Sam Houston Futurity, according to a press release. The chief players in the race are Viva Le Don and Love Ta Zoom.
Alluring Winner leads the field for the $53,000 Sam Houston Starter for the meet’s current leading trainer, Juan Diaz Jr., and current leading jockey, Victor Urieta Jr.