Coyote Legend holds on in Premiere at Lone Star

Heavily favored Coyote Legend appeared to be running on fumes Thursday night in the 14th running of the Premiere Stakes at Lone Star Park, the kickoff race of the track's spring/summer meet. But for a classy, multiple stakes winner like Coyote Legend, fumes were enough.

Under a stalking trip from jockey Bobby Walker Jr., Coyote Legend was able to take command entering the stretch of the $50,000, one-mile dirt race for Texas-breds, and battling fatigue, held off a belatedly rally from longshot Huntersrunaway to score a half-length victory. He covered a mile on a fast main track in 1:37.83 before an opening-night crowd of 8,512, paying $3.60.

"I'm not used to him having to work [him] that hard, but this was his first start against older horses and his first start since February," Walker said.

Poltergeist, the third-choice in the wagering, raced evenly to be third, a half-length behind Huntersrunaway, and another half-length in front of second favorite Lissa's Star.

Bret Calhoun trained the winner, a 3-year-old son of Gold Legend, for owner/breeder Clarence Scharbauer Jr.