Deviant will be pointed to Texas Turf Mile at Sam Houston

Deviant escaped injury in a heel-clipping incident in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf earlier this month at Santa Anita and will return to action next season in the new $200,000 Texas Turf Mile at Sam Houston Race Park, trainer Danny Pish said. The race for 3-year-olds is Jan. 26.

Deviant earned a trip to the Breeders’ Cup after a pair of impressive turf route stakes victories. He won his maiden in the $75,000 El Joven on Aug. 14 at Retama Park, then one start later captured the $60,000 Sunday Silence on Sept. 7 at Louisiana Downs.

In the Juvenile Turf, Deviant clipped heels with a rival who came out sharply into the stretch. Deviant was moved up from 14th to 13th following the incident, which cost the late-runner his momentum. Deviant had drawn into the Juvenile Turf, and broke from 14 in the mile race at Santa Anita.

“I was very disappointed about the trip,” Pish said. “It’s one of those unfortunate circumstances that happen in racing. Thank God it wasn’t any worse. Both the rider and horse are fine.”

Pish said Deviant returned to Remington Park after the Breeders’ Cup and on Monday was to ship to San Antonio.

“We’ll bring him to my farm for a 30-day freshening,” Pish said. “Mainly stall rest, turn out time in a small paddock. Then we’ll go to Houston and get ready for the new race.”

The Texas Turf Mile will be part of the Houston Racing Festival card, which includes the Grade 3, $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic and Grade 3, $200,000 John B. Connally Turf.

Deviant races for Texas-based Red Lane Thoroughbreds.

“I’m disappointed we didn’t get a fair chance to show what he can do,” Pish said of the Breeders’ Cup. “But we live to fight another day.

“I’m glad we’ve got a horse to take a shot at that new race.”

Pish long has wintered at Sam Houston. He also will have divisions of his stable at both Fair Grounds and Oaklawn. Sam Houston’s meet opens Jan. 10.

Pish juveniles target upcoming stakes

Deviant is one of a number of 2-year-old stakes winners Pish has had in 2019. Others include the undefeated fillies Gee She Sparkles and Trixie Racer.

Trixie Racer has won both her starts, both at Remington Park, including the $50,000 E.L. Gaylord on the Oklahoma Derby undercard in her most recent out Sept. 29. Pish said she is now being pointed for the $100,000 My Trusty Cat at a mile at Delta Downs on Nov. 22. It will mark the two-turn debut for the daughter of Orb.

“I think she’ll appreciate the added distance,” said Pish, who trains Trixie Racer for Speed Racing.

Gee She Sparkles also has won both her starts, both at Lone Star Park, among them a 5 1/4-length victory in the $109,000 fillies division of the Texas Thoroughbred Futurity in her last start July 14.

Pish said the next stop for Gee She Sparkles is the $75,000 Zia Park Princess on Nov. 27.

“We didn’t have a logical next place to go, so we freshened her up and kind of had this race marked all along,” Pish said.

Gee She Sparkles is a daughter of Race Day whom Pish co-owns with GFB Racing.