Crandall riding up a storm
Apprentice jockey Amanda Crandall has been on a tear at Lone Star Park. Last weekend, she had a riding double on both Saturday and Sunday to move into a tie for sixth place in the standings with nine victories. The meet's current leader is Eddie Martin Jr.
Crandall's winners paid well. High Gear returned $43; Lacey Dawn, $30; Mythic Hero, $22.40; and JNBN Me, $12.20.
"I hope I can keep it up," said Crandall.
Crandall, 21, was an accomplished horsewoman before turning her talents to race riding. A native of Houston, she has long been active in the hunter-jumper and rodeo fields, and qualified for the American Quarter Horse Youth Association's World Championships.
But her interest in racing was piqued after she started boarding her personal horse at an equestrian center that was also home to some racehorses. She fed that interest, and spent 2 1/2 years learning all about racing before she ever rode in a race. She started out as a groom and advanced to exercise rider, then apprentice.
"I got more experience, and I'm glad I did," she said.
Crandall won her first race on Sept. 28 at Retama Park, and from there won 30 races at Sam Houston Race Park to top that track's apprentice standings. She is the current leading apprentice at Lone Star, near Dallas, and is getting support from a number of Texas-based trainers, including Brent Kennedy, John Locke, and Tommie Morgan.
Crandall will have her apprentice allowance through Oct. 31.
Storybook Kid in prep for Turf Cup
Storybook Kid, who was scratched out of a turf allowance last month when inclement weather forced the race to the main track, resurfaces Friday night in the featured seventh race, a one-mile turf allowance that should produce starters for next month's $200,000 Dallas Turf Cup at Lone Star.
There is a chance the race could again be moved to the main track, as there was rain in the forecast for Friday.
Storybook Kid last raced March 20, when he finished third, beaten a neck by Great Bloom, in an optional claimer at Fair Grounds. Terry Stanton has the mount on Storybook Kid for trainer Pat Mouton.
Others in the allowance include stakes winners Waupaca, Rare Cure, Dusty Spike and Rockchalk Jayhawk.
* Lone Star will hold Claiming Crown prep races on May 23. The winners of the races will be guaranteed a spot in the starting gate for the Claiming Crown, a series of stakes races restricted to claiming horses to be held at Canterbury Park July 17. The winners of the Lone Star preps receive free shipping to the Claiming Crown from the Texas Horsemen's Partnership.