Giant Gizmo ships in for the money

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Stronach Stables and trainer Bobby Frankel won the richest race in Lone Star Park history back in 2004, when Ghostzapper took down the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic. Saturday, the team has a rare starter here for the co-richest race of the meet. Giant Gizmo is in town for the Grade 3 Lone Star Park Handicap on Monday, and the size of the purse is one reason why.

"It's $400,000," Frankel said. "[And] I think he's getting better."

Giant Gizmo indeed looks like an improving horse. A winner of his last two starts, he earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 104 at Santa Anita in February, when he won a $100,000 optional claimer. In his most recent start, Giant Gizmo, 4, became a stakes winner when he closed for a 3 3/4-length win in the Grade 3, $150,000 Alysheba at Churchill Downs on May 2.

Giant Gizmo is one of seven horses expected to enter the Lone Star. The 1 1/16-mile race is at the center of Lone Star Million Day on Monday, when six stakes worth a cumulative $1.1 million will be run here. Giant Gizmo will share high weight of 118 pounds with Zanjero. The others expected to run are Cowtown Cat, Stella Mark, Encaustic, One Lucky Buck, and Won Awesome Dude.

Stella Mark arrived at Lone Star on Thursday aboard a flight from California. Others on the plane were Costume, Forest Melody, and Super Freaky for the Grade 3, $200,000 Ouija Board, and Church Service, Mr. Wolverine and Storm Military for the Grade 3, $200,000 Dallas Turf Cup.

The forecast for Monday is for partly cloudy skies and a high of 92 degrees. Entries for the six stakes will be taken on Saturday.

Rare statebred start for Flamefinder

Flamefinder will drop back into the Texas-bred ranks for the first time since February in the featured 10th race Saturday. The one-mile turf allowance drew an interesting mix of horses, including Goosey Moose, a multiple stakes winner of more than $500,000, and Speed Fest, a filly who was a multiple winner last meet at Lone Star.

Flamefinder last raced against statebreds in the $50,000 Tomball at Sam Houston Race Park, finishing third by 3 1/2 lengths to stablemate Scrappy Roo. Following that race, Scrappy Roo went on to win the Grade 3, $200,000 Connally Breeders' Cup. As for Flamefinder, he has run first and second in the first two legs of a turf starter series at this meet.

Richard Eramia has the mount for trainer John Locke.