Coyote brothers run one race apart

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - It could be a banner afternoon for the broodmare Coyote Cafe on Saturday at Lone Star Park. She will be represented by her son Gold Coyote in the featured $50,000 Carter McGregor Jr. Memorial, and one race later another of her foals, Coyote Legend, will start as a top choice in a maiden special weight for 2-year-olds bred in Texas.

Gold Coyote comes into the Carter McGregor off a powerful, off-the-pace win in the $50,000 Express at six furlongs here May 16. It was his first score of the year after he opened his season with a fifth-place finish in the $50,000 Hot Springs at Oaklawn on March 21 and a runner-up finish as the 3-5 favorite in a Lone Star allowance April 26.

"I think he has mentally matured this year," said Bret Calhoun, who trains Gold Coyote. "Sometimes you never know what you're going to get with him. One thing you know, he's a very talented horse. You just don't know if he's going to bring his 'A' game every time.

"He's good right now and hopefully he'll do everything right like he did this last race. He didn't make any mistakes last time. Everything went good from the paddock to the gate to leaving there, and stalking. He did everything right. If that horse shows up again, he'll be very tough to beat."

Bobby Walker Jr. has the mount on Gold Coyote, who will face five others in the Carter McGregor. The six-furlong race is restricted to 3-year-olds and up bred in Texas. Deliverer, who has won his last four starts, and Chief of Affairs, a flashy debut winner here in May, are also set to run Saturday.

Gold Coyote was Lone Star's horse of the meet as a 2-year-old in 2007. He is now 4, and has compiled a career record of 9 wins from 16 starts for earnings of $363,250. Gold Coyote is by Gold Legend, as is Coyote Legend, who was third in his debut on May 3.

"Little brother is the spitting image of Gold Coyote physically," said Calhoun. "Appearance-wise, he looks like him. He walks like him, he gallops like him, he's talented like him.

"I do think Coyote Legend has a better mind than Gold Coyote. He's just got to prove himself on the racetrack like Gold Coyote. But he has all the tools that his brother has."

Eddie Martin Jr. will ride Coyote Legend, who like Gold Coyote races for his breeder, Clarence Scharbauer Jr.