Grand Contender proves prowess in Texas Mile

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – Grand Contender asserted himself as arguably the best miler in the region Saturday night at Lone Star Park, when he fought off Taptowne for a half-length win in the Grade 3, $200,000 Texas Mile. It was another three-quarters of a length back in third to Bourbon Courage.

Grand Contender set a track record for a mile at Delta Downs in November, when he won the $150,000 Delta Mile on the Jackpot undercard. He then placed in a pair of mile and a sixteenth stakes at Fair Grounds before returning to his best distance for the $75,000 Borgata at Delta. He won off by six and three-quarter lengths in the March 15 race that came one start before the Texas Mile.

On Saturday night, Grand Contender ($9) tracked the pace set by Skip the Pinot and Smack Ridge, who rolled through fractions of 23.53 seconds for the opening quarter and 46.52 for the half-mile. Grand Contender poked a head in front through six furlongs in 1:10.43 and won a spirited stretch battle to cover the distance on a track rated fast in 1:36.68.

“It was a very, very nice race, both horses together,” said Richard Eramia, aboard Grand Contender for the first time for trainer Tom Amoss. “My horse, he’s got a big heart. He wanted to win. He wouldn’t let [Taptowne] past. He wouldn’t let him past. He tried so hard.”

Maggi Moss owns Grand Contender, who picked up $113,000 for the win in the Texas Mile. Overall, the horse has won 7 of 21 starts and $418,860. Grand Contender is a 6-year-old by Strong Contender, and he was bred in Kentucky by Epona Thoroughbreds.

Grand Contender was third choice in the Texas Mile, behind favorite Bourbon Courage and Taptowne. Taptowne came four wide into the stretch and fought down the lane in an effort that pleased trainer Tim Glyshaw.

“He ran a really good race,” he said.

Glyshaw noted Taptowne did not break sharply, leading to a wider-than-desired trip.

“Tom’s horse got the jump on us,” he said. “The three horses that were supposed to be one-two-three were one-two-three, and either one of them probably could have won. It was a good race.”

Lone Star had an estimated on-track crowd of 12,000 Saturday night, said Diantha Brazzell, spokesperson for the track. Handle on the nine-race card from all sources was $1,195,050, with $373,817 of that amount bet on track. There was a Chris Young concert following the races Saturday.

The remaining order of finish in the Texas Mile was Stachys in fourth, followed by Smack Ridge and Proud Strike, who dead-heated for fifth, Forest Mouse, Texas Air, and Skip the Pinot.

The Texas Mile was the first leg of the Global Gaming Triple, linking the race with next month’s Lone Star Park Handicap and the Governor’s Cup at Remington Park in August. The horse who earns the most points based on finishes in all three races earns a $15,000 bonus to be split equally between his owner and trainer. Global owns both Lone Star and Remington.