Lyin' Heart looking like best around

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Perhaps the best 2-year-old colt to come out of the Lone Star Park meet this year ran here on Saturday. Lyin' Heart encountered much trouble yet won the $100,000 colts-and-geldings division of the Texas Thoroughbred Association Sales Futurity, and he could see graded stakes action next, said his trainer, Steve Asmussen.

It was the second straight win for Lyin' Heart, who closed from off the pace to win his career debut in a trial race for the TTA on May 23. In the finale, he trailed by quite a bit after a troubled start, then quickly moved up to pick off rivals on the turn. In the stretch, Lyin' Heart had more still, and ran down the leaders to win by 3 1/2 lengths and earn a Beyer Speed Figure of 89.

"That was impressive," said Asmussen. "To stone-cold get left in a five-eighths stakes . . . He ran good.

"I'm probably going to get him to Kentucky soon and run him in the Bashford Manor. I think he deserves the chance."

The Grade 3, $150,000 Bashford Manor at six furlongs will be run at Churchill Downs on July 5.

Lyin' Heart, a son of Lion Heart, races for J. Kirk Robison. Lyin' Heart led an Asmussen-trained sweep of the first four places in the futurity's colts-and-geldings division. Belton, who had won both of his career starts heading into the finale, finished second. Justwill and Call West finished third and fourth, respectively, and all are looking at upcoming stakes, said Asmussen.

Belton and Justwill are eligible for the $125,000 colts-and-geldings division of the Texas Stallion Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs at Lone Star on July 12, said Asmussen. He said that Call West is a Louisiana-bred, and thus a candidate for the $100,000 colts-and-geldings division of the D.S. "Shine" Young Memorial Futurity for Louisiana-breds at Evangeline Downs on July 4.

Lyin' Heart was one of two stakes winners Asmussen had on Saturday's card. He sent out Bridesmaid to win the $100,000 fillies division of the TTA Sales Futurity by a neck over her stablemate Lightlightlight. Asmussen said Bridesmaid is being pointed for the $125,000 fillies division of the Texas Stallion Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs at Lone Star on July 12. Lightlightlight, he said, is a candidate for the $100,000 fillies division of the Shine, also on July 4 at Evangeline.

Bridesmaid is Asmussen's eighth winner in the fillies division of the TTA dating back to 1999.

Aptiseno tangles with stakes winners

There are four stakes winners among the eight 3-year-old fillies entered in the featured eighth race Thursday night, a $30,000 optional claimer at a mile on turf. Slick Kitty captured the $50,000 Cimarron at Remington Park in November. Formal Flyer was a 10-length winner of a recent division of the $125,000 Texas Stallion Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Lone Star on May 10. Classie Baloo and Ms Classic Seneca each won restricted stakes over the winter at Sam Houston.

But the one to beat appears to be Aptiseno. She has not won a stakes, but has turned in two strong races at the meet. Her latest was a runner-up finish in a second-level turf allowance May 16. Aptiseno was facing older rivals in that race, which produced a return winner last Friday when the third-place finisher, Song Cat, came back and won a $45,000 optional claimer on turf at Lone Star.

Leading rider Cliff Berry will ride Aptiseno for Doyle Williams and trainer Joe Petalino.

* Lone Star will feature the $50,000 Carter McGregor Jr. Memorial for Texas-bred sprinters on Saturday.