Handful from Heiligbrodt

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - It is no accident that Bill Heiligbrodt has five starters between the two $150,000 divisions of the Texas Thoroughbred Association Sales Futurity at Lone Star Park on Saturday.

And he not only owns those five horses, but he also bred them all in the name of his Heiligbrodt Racing Stable.

"He's got the most awesome program going," said Steve Asmussen, who is the trainer of Heiligbrodt's five qualifiers for the two futurities. "He's just got a beautiful group [of 2-year-olds] every year. The group that you get in are just racehorses."

As a bonus, some are out of mares Asmussen trained for Heiligbrodt, and others are half-siblings to horses Heiligbrodt raced with Asmussen.

"The similarities, or the resemblance and tendencies that they've had, it's kind of like streamlined the program," said Asmussen.

Heiligbrodt has won the fillies division of the Sales Futurity twice - with Louetta in 2000 and Bluegrass Sara in 2003 - and has the probable favorite this year in September in Texas. Undefeated in two starts, September in Texas was the fastest qualifier of three trial races held for her division.

Seadrift adds to the arsenal for Heiligbrodt and Asmussen, who has won five of the last six fillies divisions of the Sales Futurity. Seadrift won her trial by a head and is now 2 for 2.

"There's a lot of her, and she's pretty durable," said Asmussen.

Covered in Clover, who finished second in her trial, was the third and final fillies qualifier for Heiligbrodt.

For the colts and geldings division, which Heiligbrodt won last year with Expect Will, he will be represented by Paltu and D Denton.

The colt to beat is Premier Dance, whom owner Charles Fletcher purchased on Tuesday. Premier Dance was the fastest qualifier for the Sales Futurity, winning the five-furlong race in a sharp 56.68 seconds to earn a Beyer Speed Figure of 83. Saturday, he will be making his first start for trainer Cody Autrey.

"I think he's been the most impressive 2-year-old colt of the meet," said Autrey, who has given the mount to Eddie Martin Jr.