D'Amato has pair for Steve Sexton Mile

Trainer Phil D’Amato will be doubling up on the competition Sunday at Lone Star Park when he sends out the capable pair of King Abner and Air Strike in the Grade 3, $300,000 Steve Sexton Mile.

King Abner figures to vie for favoritism with Title Ready in the race for 3-year-olds and up which serves as the meet’s centerpiece. The Sexton also will be part of a cross-country pick five that includes races from Belmont Park. The Weather Channel forecast is for a high of 81 degrees and a 10 percent chance of precipitation. The field of 10 also includes multiple Grade 3 winner Shotgun Kowboy and stakes winners Mocito Rojo, Phat Man, Analyze This Jet, Forevamo, and Minister of Soul.

Steve Sexton Mile (Race 7)

KEY CONTENDERS

King Abner, by Hansen
Last 3 Beyers: 100-88-89

◗ He owns the field’s best last-race Beyer Speed Figure, a 100 for his close second in the $100,000 Tiznow for California-breds at a mile March 3 at Santa Anita. From that point, there were a couple of reasons to target the Sexton, said D’Amato.

“We found kind of by form, and clearly by numbers, that he’s a horse that prefers the dirt,” D’Amato said. “He’s good on the grass, but he’s lengths better on the dirt. The next California-bred race at Santa Anita this weekend was a grass race, so we decided to take a shot in this race. We’ve been eyeing it.”

◗ That 100 Beyer is a career-high for King Abner.

“I really do think he’s getting better,” D’Amato said. “He came to me, and he was a nice sprinter. He trained like there was more horse there. The minute we stretched him out, we just saw a different horse. It took me a couple of races to figure it out. I think definitely his confidence is coming along as his numbers increase as well.”

◗ Tyler Baze has the mount from post 4.

Air Strike, by Street Sense
Last 3 Beyers: 87-91-93

◗ He’s making his second start at 4 after running fourth in an optional $62,500 claiming race at a mile March 30 at Santa Anita.

“We gave him time off to mature, and he did that,” D’Amato said. “That allowance, he just needed it. It was a real deep track that day at Santa Anita, and he got a lot out of it.”

◗ Joe Talamo has the mount from post 6.

Shotgun Kowboy, by Kodiak Kowboy
Last 3 Beyers: 85-90-86

◗ He enters off a close fifth-place finish in an optional $75,000 claiming race at a mile in the slop April 7 at Oaklawn.

“I look for him to run a big race,” said trainer C.R. Trout. “He ran three times in the mud in Hot Springs. He doesn’t like the mud, and he still ran okay.”

◗ David Cabrera has the mount from post 10.

Title Ready, by More Than Ready
Last 3 Beyers: 97-93-92

◗ He was a close second to Vino Rosso in the $155,000 Stymie in his last start March 9 at Aqueduct.

◗ Richard Eramia has the mount from the rail for Charles Fipke and Steve Asmussen, the owner-trainer team that won this race last year with eventual Metropolitan Handicap winner Bee Jersey.