Grand Contender faces Donoharm in Lone Star Park Handicap

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – Grand Contender will face a serious new challenger in Donoharm on Monday, when he attempts to become just the third horse in Lone Star Park history to complete a sweep of the track’s most important races for older horses – the Texas Mile and the Lone Star Park Handicap.

Grand Contender is the 121-pound highweight in the Grade 3, $200,000 Lone Star, which goes with a field of six on a special afternoon card that starts at 1:35 Central. He should start as the favorite in the meet’s co-richest race following his win in the Grade 3, $200,000 Texas Mile. The only two horses to win both races in 17 years are Dixie Dot Com in 2001 and Master Rick in 2013.

Grand Contender fought for a half-length win in the Texas Mile on April 26, his second straight stakes score, following the Borgata at Delta Downs. In his other 2014 starts, he ran second in the Louisiana Handicap and the Grade 3 Mineshaft, both at Fair Grounds.

“He’s been a very consistent horse for us this year,” said Tom Amoss, who trains Grand Contender for Maggi Moss. “He’s a horse who gives his best effort. Those are fun horses to train.”

Grand Contender will break from post 3, and in a 1 1/16-mile race that does not appear to have an abundance of speed, he could set the pace under Richard Eramia.

“He can go to the lead or lay off of it,” Amoss said. “He’s very practical that way.”

Donoharm also has tactical speed and could settle into a tracking position under Cliff Berry. The pair will break from post 4.

“He likes to be in the race, likes to be up close,” said Bret Calhoun, who trains Donoharm for Wayne Sanders and Larry Hirsch.

Donoharm won an optional $100,000 claiming race at 1 1/16 miles at Oaklawn in February. In his most recent start April 11, he was second to Moonshine Mullin in an optional $50,000 claiming race for which the front-running winner earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 108. Donoharm finished five lengths back, and the 98 Beyer he earned is the best last-race number in the Lone Star. Moonshine Mullin came back this month to take the Grade 2 Alysheba at Churchill Downs.

“I thought he ran well,” Calhoun said of Donoharm. “He just ran into a horse getting really good, who won a Grade 2 next out. I was happy with his effort. We were second-best.”

Donoharm, a multiple stakes winner weighted at 117 pounds, has been working at Lone Star since Oaklawn closed in April.

Grade 3 winner Called to Serve exits the same race as Donoharm, finishing sixth to Moonshine Mullin. He will be making his third start since running third in the 2013 Santa Anita Handicap. Luis Quinonez has the mount for trainer Steve Asmussen, who won last year’s Lone Star with Master Rick.

Grand Contender and Texas Air, the winner of the $50,000 Star of Texas at Sam Houston, are the only starters to come out of the Texas Mile, and as such are the lone horses still eligible for the Global Gaming Triple bonus of $15,000. The series rewards the horse with the most points for finishes in the Texas Mile, Lone Star, and Governor’s Cup at Remington Park.

The Lone Star field also includes stakes winners He Has Bling and F J Uncle Vic.

The Weather Channel is calling for a high of 80 degrees and a 30 percent chance of showers Monday.