Lone Star Park: Texas Classic Futurity may determine champion 2-year-old filly

There is more than just a $1 million purse on the line in Saturday night’s Texas Classic Futurity for Quarter Horses at Lone Star Park.

“There’s a lot riding for champion 2-year-old filly,” said Toby Keeton, whose trainee Won to Watch is seeking her seventh straight win against a field that includes fellow graded stakes-winning fillies Big Biz Perry and Especially Tres.

The Texas Classic Futurity, a Grade 1 race to be run over 400 yards, is the richest stakes in the state and the centerpiece of a closing-night program that also includes the Grade 1, $394,306 Texas Classic Derby.

Won to Watch has built a 6-for-7 record in her first year of racing, among her wins are the Grade 2 Texas Quarter Horse Association Sales Futurity at Retama Park and the $75,000 Heritage Place Juvenile at Remington Park. In the trials for the Texas Classic on Oct. 19, Won to Watch won by a neck while making her first start in 2 1/2 months.

“She’s an amazing filly,” Keeton said. “She’s got a big heart, just does everything we ask her to.”

Won to Watch will break from the rail, under regular rider Luis Vivanco.

“I’m fine with the one-hole,” Keeton said. “I look for her to break really good.”

Big Biz Perry, who will break from post 10, was a head winner of the Grade 1, $1 million Heritage Place Futurity at Remington in June.

Especially Tres was Sam Houston Race Park’s horse of the meet for a season in which she won the Grade 2 Sam Houston Futurity. She went on to finish fourth in the Grade 1, $2.6 million All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs. Others in the Texas Classic who ran in the All American are Skuze Pleeze, who was fifth; Hes Relentless, seventh; and Houdini, 10th.

Skuze Pleeze was the fastest qualifier for the Texas Classic.

◗ Captain Strawfly, winner of the Grade 2 Dash for Cash Derby earlier this meet at Lone Star, is chasing his fourth consecutive win in the Texas Classic Derby. The fastest qualifier is Keeton trainee Jody Pops Zoomer.

◗ Martha Claussen and Rick Lee will conduct a free handicapping seminar at 5:30 p.m. Saturday on the first floor of the grandstand.