Mr Money Bags looking to cash in with an H-Town victory
Mr Money Bags will have a pair of angels with him Saturday night when he runs in the $75,000 H-Town Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park.
Over the past year, the horse has lost both his breeder and owner, Roy Cobb, and his trainer, Mike Neatherlin.
Mr Money Bags will carry on in the H-Town Stakes, racing for Cobb’s widow, Erma Cobb. Neatherlin’s daughter, Jaylan Clary, has taken over the training of the horse, an eight-time stakes winner who has earned more than $500,000.
“He’s very special,” Clary said. “He did a lot for his owner, for my father, and for the jockey.”
Ernesto Valdez-Jiminez has been the regular rider on Mr Money Bags and will be in the saddle when the horse breaks from post 7 in the eight-horse H-Town.
The race is one of five stakes on Texas Preview Night. The races are designed to produce starters for the Texas Champions Day program on March 26 at Sam Houston. The H-Town is one of three Saturday night stakes restricted to Texas-breds, while the other races are Texas Stallion Stakes. Purses for the stakes total $375,000.
The race Mr Money Bags ran in defeat in his last start would win a lot of stakes races around the country. His focus is to win one at home in the H-Town. Mr Money Bags is moving back into the Texas-bred ranks off a runner-up finish in the $75,000 Stonerside Stakes on Jan. 30 at Sam Houston. He was part of a quick pace and was beaten three-quarters of a length in a deep field led by winner by Greeley and Ben.
“That was a tough group,” Clary said. “I thought he ran one of the best races he’s ever run.”
Mr Money Bags figures to go favored in the H-Town, which is for 4-year-olds and up over seven furlongs. He will break from post 7 in the eight-horse field that includes Kenai Bob, winner of the Assault Stakes in July at Lone Star Park, and Direct Dial, winner of last year’s H-Town.
Mr Money Bags brings speed into the H-Town.
“He’ll probably sit in the top three or four,” Clary said. “I don’t think he’ll be too far behind.
“He’s training really good, came off that last race really well. We’re hoping everything goes well.”
Mr Money Bags boasts a 3-for-4 record over the main track at Sam Houston.
Direct Dial was a four-length winner of last year’s H-Town. Stewart Elliott has the mount from post 2 for trainer Steve Asmussen.
Kenai Bob is moving back to both dirt and one turn after finishing third in a turf route Jan. 20 at Sam Houston. The start was his first since July. Ry Eikleberry has the mount for trainer Francisco Bravo.
◗ Singapore Flash and Sunlit Song, who finished first and second in the race Kenai Bob exits, will meet in the $75,000 Houston Turf. The 1 1/16-mile race for 4-year-olds and up bred in Texas has drawn a field of eight, including last year’s winner, Moojab Jr.
Sunlit Song was beaten just a half-length in the Jan. 20 allowance at Sam Houston. The start was his first since October. Sunlit Song is a two-time winner over the turf course at Sam Houston, among his victories last year’s $100,000 Richard King Stakes on Texas Champions Day.
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Sunlit Song is one of the state’s top older horses, and overall the 7-year-old has won 12 of 32 starts for earnings of more than $400,000. Mindy Willis trains the horse for Carolyn Barnett and Becky Harding. Stewart Elliott has the mount from post 6.
Sunlit Song was the 3-5 favorite in the allowance last time, while winner Singapore Flash was 5-1.
Lane Luzzi will be aboard Singapore Flash from post 8. J.R. Caldwell trains the horse for Triple V. Racing.
◗ The first two stakes on the program are Texas Stallion Stakes divisions for 3-year-olds at six furlongs. Pinky Ring Bling will be going for his second straight stakes win at the meet in the $75,000 Jim’s Orbit division. Ernesto Valdez-Jiminez has the mount for trainer Ronnie Cravens.
The other Texas Stallion Stakes race is the $75,000 Two Altazano for 3-year-old fillies. The chief contenders include Eagle Express. Elliott has the mount on the stakes winner for trainer Steve Asmussen.
The Texas Stallion Stakes races are restricted to the offspring of eligible stallions. There are divisions of the race at both Sam Houston and Lone Star Park near Dallas.
◗ The $75,000 Miss Bluebonnet Turf Stakes is for Texas-bred fillies and mares at a mile on the grass. Boerne is moving back to both two turns and turf following a sharp allowance win at six furlongs at Sam Houston. Boerne won a turf route stakes last meet at Lone Star. Eikleberry has the mount for trainer Robertino Diodoro.
Other top contenders in the final stakes of the night are Shes Our Fastest and Corluna.