Lone Star Park: Sure Shot B scores in Texas Classic Futurity

Sure Shot B won the richest race in Texas on Saturday night, when he led throughout in the Grade 1, $1,158,941 Texas Classic Futurity for Quarter Horses. The race came on the final night of the Lone Star Park meet, and it shared a program with the Grade 1, $335,631 Texas Classic Derby that was won by Cold Cash 123.

Sure Shot B ($20) was a half-length winner over Algorithmic, while it was another half-length back in third to Special Royal Corona. Sure Shot Be covered 400 yards on a fast track in 19.42 seconds, with Salvador Martinez aboard for trainer John Stinebaugh.

“This was by far the toughest futurity I’ve ever seen, the overall field of horses,” said Stinebaugh.

Stinebaugh, along with co-winning owner Tommy Hayes, credited jockey Jacky Martin with his help in the development of Sure Shot B. Martin was paralyzed in a race-riding accident in September, just days before he was to ride Ochoa in the $2.4 million All American Futurity. The horse won.

Sure Shot Be also races for Charles Forbes Jr. For the win Saturday night, the horse earned $501,164.

Sixes Streak, the fastest qualifier for the Texas Classic, finished sixth, while The Long Knife, who had the second-best qualifying time, finished fourth on Saturday.

Cold Cash 123 ($7) picked up his latest 440-yard stakes victory in the Texas Derby, when he rolled to a three-quarter length victory over The Printing Press. He covered the distance in 21.16 seconds. Joe Martinez was aboard the winner for T Bill Stables and trainer Sleepy Gilbreath, who said the horse is being pointed for next month’s Grade 1 Championship at Sunland Park.

Llano Teller, the 4-5 favorite, finished fourth. He was the fastest qualifier for the series Saturday.