Martin makes impact with 82-1 winner

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Jockey Eddie Martin Jr. made his presence felt in his first night back at Lone Star Park on Friday, when he won the first race with 82-1 shot Wish Again. He then came back and captured the eighth race with Blues Festival ($9.60) for leading trainer Bret Calhoun.

Martin, who had three mounts on the card, began working horses here last Wednesday after spending the spring riding at Belmont Park. He last rode at Lone Star in 2005, shipping in for a couple of mounts. Martin won the riding title here in 2004.

Wish Again ($167.40) took the lead in the stretch and drove to a neck win in the two-turn turf race for $30,000 conditioned claimers. She was stretching out from a sprint and moving to turf following a ninth-place finish in a $10,000 conditioned claimer for Texas-breds at Lone Star.

"I was ecstatic," said Martin. "She won like even money. I looked, and she was 80-1. I was like 'Oh, my gosh!' "

Martin came back into this region with the idea of riding at the slots-rich Remington Park in Oklahoma City, which opens on Aug. 2. He said he plans to make the most of his time at Lone Star, which closes July 29.

"I'm just going to have fun, work hard and go for it," said Martin.

Martin was named to ride four horses here Tuesday night, including Go Leroy Go for trainer Jim Bausch, who trains Wish Again.

'Nobodywantme' preps for Johnson

Nobodywantmetilnow, who closed from well back to win last year's Bob Johnson Memorial Stakes, drew the rail for the allowance prep for the race Tuesday night. He figures to go favored in the one-mile turf allowance, which goes as the eighth, on the strength of a runner-up finish at a similar level in his last start June 15.

For his effort, Nobodywantmetilnow earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 84, which is the highest last-race number in the field.

The $50,000 Bob Johnson, at a mile on turf, will be run here July 21.

Others of note in the allowance include Etesaal, the third-place finisher in a $50,000 claimer at Gulfstream Park in March who is making his first start for trainer Chris Hartman.

o The special Tuesday card is the first of six consecutive programs this week in celebration of the Fourth of July. There is a twilight post of 5 p.m. Central on both Tuesday and Wednesday to allow for fireworks following the races.