Impeccably bred Cantata returns from layoff
Cantata, a $950,000 yearling purchase at Keeneland, launches her 4-year-old season in Friday night’s sixth race at Sam Houston Race Park. She goes in a conditioned allowance for fillies and mares at six furlongs. The start will be her first since June.
Cantata comes off a fourth-place finish in the $50,000 Panthers at Prairie Meadows. Earlier in her career, she won her debut in a maiden special weight sprint at Saratoga and proceeded to run fifth in the Grade 1 Frizette at Belmont Park.
Cantata is a daughter of Medaglia d’Oro who races for Stonestreet Stables. She is out of the mare Stoweshoe, who is a full sister to millionaire Taris. Stewart Elliott has the mount from post 2 for trainer Steve Asmussen.
Sam Houston handled $3.2 million on its first card of the meet Jan. 6, which the track said was an opening-day record. It also was the first Thursday opening for Sam Houston. The track handled $2.2 million on its races Friday.
Trainers Stroope, Bard die
The Texas-based trainers Larry Stroope and Leon Bard have both died, according to press releases. Stroope, who trained a number of stakes winners, including Smiles Golden Song and Discreet Smile, died Jan. 7.
Bard, 75, died Jan. 5 following a battle with cancer. He won a record five runnings of the TQHA Sale Futurity, as well as the Grade 1 Ruidoso Futurity with Zip First, the Grade 1 Challenge Championship with SF Hot Pass, and the Grade 2 Sam Houston Futurity with This Is an Eagle.
A celebration of life for Bard will be held Jan. 30 at the Wheelock, Texas, Community Center. Services are pending for Stroope.
◗ The deadline to enter the 2022 Texas 2-year-olds in training sale is Jan. 17, announced the Texas Thoroughbred Association.