Ibaka tries for fourth straight in Symie division of Texas Stallion Stakes

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – Ibaka will be gunning for his fourth straight win Saturday night, when he returns to restricted company for the $75,000 Stymie division of the Texas Stallion Stakes at Lone Star Park.

The race for 3-year-olds at a mile is one of two on the card for the offspring of nominated stallions. The $75,000 fillies’ division of the Texas Stallion Stakes, the Got Koko, drew stakes winners Scooter’s Choice, Thegirlinthatsong, and Forever Since.

Ibaka is part of an eight-horse field that includes stakes winners F J Uncle Vic and Circustown Flyer. He began his streak at Delta Downs in January in a first-level allowance. He proceeded to take the $75,000 Jim’s Orbit division of the Texas Stallion Stakes at Sam Houston in February, then defeated open company by three lengths in the track’s $50,000 Texas Heritage at a mile March 1.

“Ibaka’s been pretty versatile,” said Bret Calhoun, who trains the horse for his breeder, Doug Wall. “He’s been right there on the pace and won, and well back off the pace and won. He hasn’t run in quite a while, since that open stakes at Houston. I’d rather it not be so far in between races.”

But, Calhoun added, Ibaka brings class to the table. As a two-time stakes winner, he’s the most accomplished member of the field Saturday. Ibaka also is unbeaten at two turns from a pair of starts at the trip and is one of just two horses in the race who have won at a route distance, the other being Ring Necked.

Lindey Wade has the mount on Ibaka, an Oklahoma-bred by Uncle Abbie who will break from post 4.

F J Uncle Vic defeated open-company stakes rivals in the $50,000 Allen’s Landing at Sam Houston in January. Circustown Flyer won last year’s $86,480 colts-and-geldings division of the Texas Thoroughbred Association Sales Futurity at Lone Star.

Scooter’s Choice, a bold second to eventual Grade 3 Eight Belles winner Fiftyshadesofgold in the Two Altazano division of the Texas Stallion Stakes at Sam Houston in February, will be making her two-turn debut Saturday. She enters off a sixth-place finish in an optional $62,500 claimer at Oaklawn.

“She didn’t seem to handle that track at all,” said Calhoun, who trains Scooter’s Choice for Wayne Sanders and Larry Hirsch. “In the race at Houston, she was on the lead until late. She ran a good race.”

Scooter’s Choice drew the rail and is a threat to wire the field under Wade.

◗ The year’s entire $450,000 Texas Stallion Stakes series has been renamed for Clarence Scharbauer Jr., the late horseman whose family raced Alysheba.