La Cara leads field for Houston Ladies Classic
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Multiple Grade 1 winner La Cara leads a cast of eight entered for the Grade 3, $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic on Saturday at Sam Houston Race Park.
The 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares is one of five stakes on the annual Houston Racing Festival card. The program includes the $200,000 John B. Connally Turf Cup. The 12-race card begins at 1 p.m. Central.
La Cara, who is making her 4-year-old debut, earned her Grade 1 wins in last year’s Acorn and Ashland. Cristian Torres has the mount from post 8 for Tracy Farmer and trainer Mark Casse.
Standoutsensation enters the Houston Ladies Classic off back-to-back stakes wins in the Turnback the Alarm at Aqueduct and the Pippin at Oaklawn. Overall, she has won her last for starts for trainer Tom Amoss.
Queen Azteca won last year’s Group 3 U.A.E. Oaks and was fifth in the U.A.E. Derby, both at Meydan.
The complete field from the rail is: Too Much Kiki, Queen Azteca, Standoutsensation, Take Charge Milady, Yes It Tiz, Moonlight Gambler, Perfect Shot, and La Cara.
The Connally, which is for 4-year-olds and up at 1 1/2 miles, drew a full field of 12, led by Truly Quality. He is coming off his second consecutive win in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup at Del Mar.
The card also includes the $100,000 Bob Bork Texas Turf Mile for 3-year-olds and a pair of sprint stakes for 3-year-olds bred in Texas. Sam Houston also has carded a “Ratings Handicap,” which drew 10, and has named the third race for the retiring Mike Steindler, who long has overseen handicapping tournaments at Sam Houston.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.