Hunka Burning Love up at wire in Lone Star Park Mile
Hunka Burning Love secured his fourth consecutive victory Sunday, when he surged nearing the wire to capture the $75,000 Lone Star Park Mile by a head over Sleepy Eyes Todd. It was another 7 1/2 lengths back in third to Vangilder.
The mile race for 4-year-olds and up was one of three stakes on the card.
Hunka Burning Love ($15.40) was stretching back out around two turns off an allowance win at Lone Star and pushed Sleepy Eyes Todd through fractions of 23.63 seconds for the opening quarter, 46.73 for the half-mile, and 1:10.90 for six furlongs. Hunka Burning Love continued after that one in the stretch and put in a final push to prevail, covering the distance on a fast track in 1:36.32.
Jockey David Cabrera was aboard the winner for owner and trainer Karl Broberg.
“The race was loaded with so much speed, I didn’t think it was the right spot for us,” Broberg said in a post-race interview broadcast by Lone Star. “He was just doing so great, we just had to take a shot. He’s just really good right now.”
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Hunka Burning Love was a $32,000 claim out of an Oaklawn race in April.
“It appears he just didn’t like that surface,” Broberg said last week.
Broberg took the horse to Will Rogers, where Hunka Burning Love began his current streak with a 10-length win in a $17,100 overnight handicap at a mile May 11. He came back and captured a no-conditions allowance at the track at the same distance May 20, by 6 1/2 lengths. Hunka Burning Love then won the allowance sprint June 10 at Lone Star.
Hunka Burning Love is a 6-year-old son of Into Mischief. He has now won 12 of 40 starts, and the first-place check of $43,499 on Sunday pushed his career earnings to $351,501.
The remaining order of finish was favorite Pioneer Spirit in fourth, followed by Mocito Rojo, Wind of Change, Runaway Ghost, and Kenai Bob. Leader of Men was scratched Sunday.
Little Menace wins Grand Prairie Derby
Little Menace fought off a challenge from Sir Rick to win his two-turn debut in the $75,000 Grand Prairie Derby.
The 1 1/16-mile race was for 3-year-olds.
Little Menace ($3.40) set the pace with Sir Rick in close pursuit, leading through fractions of 24.76 for the opening quarter, 49.19 for the half-mile, and 1:13.50 for six furlongs.
Sir Rick engaged the leader at the top of the stretch and a tight battle ensued before Little Menace shook that foe and went on to a 3 1/4-length victory. He covered the distance on a fast track in 1:44.29.
Following the race there was a stewards’ inquiry into the stretch run, but no change was made to the order of finish.
Gold Pilot finished third, 1 1/4 lengths behind Sir Rick.
Little Menace was stretching out off a pair of six-furlong stakes races at Oaklawn, running third in the $90,000 Gazebo on March 21 and fourth in the $100,000 Bachelor on April 25.
Stewart Elliott was aboard last out and again had the mount Sunday for Phoenix Thoroughbred III and trainer Steve Asmussen. Little Menace is a son of Into Mischief who has now won 3 of 6 starts for earnings of $191,511.
Fool’s Paradise captures Lone Star Turf
Fool’s Paradise became a stakes winner in the $75,000 Lone Star Park Turf, when she caught Quebec for a three-quarter-length victory. It was another 4 3/4 lengths back in third to favorite Curlin’s Journey.
The Lone Star Turf was a mile race for fillies and mares.
Fool’s Paradise ($8.40) trailed as Quebec set fractions of 23.03 for the opening quarter, 46.63 for the half-mile, and 1:09.75 for six furlongs. Quebec seemed home free in the stretch, but Fool’s Paradise put in a determined run, overtook the leader, and went on to cover the distance on firm ground in 1:34.15.
Ramon Vazquez was aboard for trainer Robertino Diodoro.
Fool’s Paradise is a 5-year-old by Pioneerof the Nile owned by M and M Racing. She was a $40,000 claim last August at Del Mar. Fool’s Paradise earned $44,624 for the win, which was her fifth from 21 starts. She has career earnings of $207,915.
Racing resumes Monday.