A jet-setter lands in Texas

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Morluc, who has raced in Hong Kong, Dubai and Louisville, in his past three starts, flew to Texas on Friday for the $100,000 Lone Star Park Turf Sprint, one of seven stakes worth a cumulative $1 million at Lone Star Park on Monday.

The program of stakes, known as Lone Star Million Day, is the richest day of racing in Texas. Dixie Dot Com headlines Monday's main event, the Grade 3, $300,000 Lone Star Park Handicap.

Morluc, who will be favored against a stout group of locals, including Caro's Royalty, Wild Hits, and Dr. Lewis, has logged some miles since Dec. 17, when he finished second at odds of 20-1 in the $769,000 Hong Kong Sprint, run over five furlongs on turf at Sha Tin Race Course.

After he regrouped from that trip, Morluc went to Dubai in March and ran seventh behind Caller One in the $2 million Golden Shaheen, run over six furlongs on dirt at Nad Al Sheba. Morluc returned to racing on American turf on May 4, winning the Grade 3 Aegon Turf Sprint and earning a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 106 at his home base of Churchill Downs. It was his third win in four starts at five furlongs on turf, conditions he races over Monday.

"He's taken us all around the world and it didn't cost us a thing," said trainer Randy Morse. Morluc's overseas travel expenses were paid for because the horse was invited to race in Hong Kong and Dubai. Morse, who hopes to see Morluc return to Hong Kong this year for the Sprint, has given the mount to Robby Albarado.

Gerard Melancon will ride Caro's Royalty, who won the Lone Star Park Turf Sprint in 1997 and 2000. The race is an annual goal for Caro's Royalty, said Wes Hawley, who trains the 8-year-old gelding, a winner of $523,075, for Bobby Asaro. "This is Bobby's Breeders' Cup," said Hawley.

Flores seeking 10th local stakes win

David Flores, the Southern California-based jockey who has the mount on Dixie Dot Com in the Lone Star Park Handicap, has won nine stakes, many for trainer Bob Baffert, at Lone Star since the track opened in 1997. Overall he ranks fourth in career stakes wins at Lone Star.

Flores's last local triumph came April 28 in the Grade 3 Texas Mile with Dixie Dot Com. The rider has two other mounts on Million Day: Out of Reach in the $200,000 WinStar Distaff, and Image of Glory if she goes in the $100,000 Valid Expectations.

o Quiet Man and Couch Man, who finished a respective second and third in their last start, meet again in the featured 10th race Sunday, a conditioned turf allowance race worth $31,000.