Komorebino Omoide makes rare turf start in Texas Turf Classic
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Komorebino Omoide will make a rare appearance on turf Saturday in the $250,000 Texas Turf Classic, one of four open-company stakes making up the annual Summer Turf Festival at Lone Star Park. The card also includes a pair of turf sprints, each worth $125,000.
The track’s signal will be limited to tracks in Texas and international sites due to an ongoing impasse between the Texas Racing Commission and the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority.
Komorebino Omoide won the richest dirt race of the meet in his last start, when he accounted for the Grade 3, $400,000 Steve Sexton Mile. He splashed home by 2 1/4 lengths in the slop and on Saturday will get another shot at the Texas Turf Classic after running third in the 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds and up last year.
This year’s renewal drew a field of 10 that includes Stay Hot, a Grade 3 winner who is making his first start at 4. Robertino Diodoro, who trains Komorebino Omoide, said there were a number of reasons to go back to the turf Saturday.
“The horse loves an off track,” he said, “so a lot of horses like that will take to the turf, and he did run well on the turf last year. And, I think he’s a much better horse 12 months later. He’s also right there and we don’t have to ship. He’s doing well, so let’s kind of run on his home turf. He’s going to have do some shipping after this race.”
Ramon Vazquez, who was aboard for the Steve Sexton Mile, has the mount from post 8. Komorebino Omoide rallied from off the pace last out at Lone Star.
“It was a very impressive race,” Diodoro said. “He didn’t get the smoothest trip by any means and he overcame it.”
Stay Hot will start from the rail off a runner-up finish in the Grade 2 Mathis Mile in December at Santa Anita. Umberto Rispoli will be in to ride for trainer Peter Eurton.
Gigante is moving back to the 1 1/8-mile distance over which he is a Grade 2 winner, having won the Muniz Memorial in March at Fair Grounds.
Wasted Tears
Neom Beach, a versatile runner as a winner on turf and dirt, will start as a chief contender in the $125,000 Wasted Tears off her 6 1/2-length win in the $200,000 Ouija Board Distaff last month at Lone Star Park.
The race was moved from turf to a saturated main track during the rain-soaked Lone Star Million Day card. The Wasted Tears is a 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares, and it drew a full field of 12.
“I like Neom Beach on the turf in the Wasted Tears on Saturday and I love her if it rains off,” trainer Steve Asmussen said.
Diodoro will counter with Ouija Board runner-up Flame McGoon.
“She’s going to have to hook Steve’s mare again, which isn’t going to be an easy task,” he said, “but she’s doing well and we’ll see what happens.
“I’d like to see her back on the turf. She’s run off the turf the last two times and she’s run well, but she’s much better on the grass.”
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