Name of the game is speed

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Speed is the theme of the Stars of Texas Day undercard at Lone Star Park on Saturday, with two six-furlong sprints and two five-furlong futurities. The program is rounded out by the $100,000 Allen Bogan Memorial, a one-mile race for fillies and mares bred in Texas.

The $50,000 Stonerside Sprint and its filly counterpart, the $50,000 Valor Farm Stakes, are for 3-year-old state-breds over six furlongs, and each race has drawn a standout sprinter.

Triple Card, who set a track record for six furlongs when he won the $50,000 Carter McGregor Memorial over older rivals in 1:08.06, heads the Stonerside. Little Angel, who ran the fastest 6 1/2 furlongs of the meet when she won the $50,000 JEH Stallion Station Stakes in 1:15.30, is the one to beat in the Valor Farm.

Triple Card was given a month of down time to freshen from his big win in the Carter McGregor. "He gives so much in his races," said trainer Eddie Milligan Sr. "I think giving him the month between races has been good for him. He had an awful strong work the other day and is just real sharp. I think he can run back to the [Carter McGregor]." Don Simington has the mount in the Stonerside.

Deirdre Panas will ride Little Angel. In her final prep for the race, the filly, a winner of 4 of 6 starts, worked five furlongs in 59.40 seconds.

Tough fields in futurities

Both divisions of the TTA Sales Futurity drew exciting fields. In the $147,440 fillies finale, fastest qualifier and potential star French Riviera matches talents with Wild Gear, the Manor Downs Futurity winner who is undefeated in four career starts. "I think that she has won within herself on every occasion," said Steve Asmussen, who trains Wild Gear.

Asmussen will saddle three other fillies in the race, including Smoke Buster, second to Wild Gear during the trials June 6. "I thought she had the other mare measured and she got a little tired the last 60, 70 yards," said Asmussen. "With that being her first start, she has every reason to finish up better."

Asmussen will saddle four colts in the $168,700 TTA Sales Futurity, where the quartet will meet fastest qualifier Angela'stoughwater, who just missed the track record for five furlongs when he won his trial in 57.44 seconds for trainer Ramon Flores. Others include Three Glitter Men, who trainer Bret Calhoun said he feels is a better individual than one of his past trainees, Cowboy Dan, a graded winner at 2, and the Brent Davidson-trained Nuclear Assembly, who defeated Angela'stoughwater when the two met on May 24.

Nanie's Dinner heads Bogan

Nanie's Dinner heads a field of 12 fillies and mares in the Allen Bogan Memorial. Her chief rivals appear to be Crook's Angel, second to Nanie's Dinner in last year's $75,000 Martanza on Texas Champions Day; Peruvian Waltz, winner of an open allowance race last out; and the Asmussen-trained duo of Wadif and Holly Sue.

Nanie's Dinner has worked well for the Bogan Memorial, and trainer Larry Robideaux Jr. is looking for a peak race in her third start back from a four-month layoff.

"If anybody beats her going a mile, they're going to have to do some running," said Robideaux, who has given the mount to Carlos Gonzalez.