Ova Charged has seventh consecutive stakes victory in Chicken Fried

Ova Charged won her seventh consecutive stakes race Saturday when she overcame the rail post to capture the $125,000 Chicken Fried Stakes during the Texas Turf Festival at Lone Star Park. She won by 2 3/4 lengths over Uptownblingithome, while it was another neck back in third to Tiz Magic.

The Chicken Fried was one of four turf stakes on the 10-race card and the races were worth a cumulative $625,000.

Ova Charged ($2.60) owns the year’s highest Beyer Speed Figure – a 113 for a turf win at Fair Grounds – and she was returning to the grass for the Chicken Fried. She sat just behind a wall of runners through an opening quarter in 21.31 seconds, was positioned outside leader Fire Vision on the turn, and took over in the stretch en route to covering five furlongs on firm turf in a quick 55.86 seconds.

“I was sitting back with a lot of horse, waiting for a door to open,” winning rider Jose Guerrero said in a post-race interview conducted by Lone Star.

Shane Wilson trains Ova Charged, whose last seven starts have resulted in stakes wins. She was making her first start at Lone Star, on a hot, humid afternoon in Texas.

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“She’s just handled everything we've ever thrown at her,” Wilson said. “She just doesn’t worry about anything. Just a really, really cool character. Nothing seems to bother her.”

Ova Charged is a daughter of Star Guitar who races for her breeder, Brittlyn Stable. She has now won 15 of 18 starts for earnings of $918,575.

Wilson said Ova Charged is a candidate for the $250,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Sprint on Aug. 3 at Ellis Park.

What Say Thee, Rispoli

What Say Thee and Southern California-based rider Umberto Rispoli won their Texas debuts when they edged Ole Crazy Bone by a head in the $250,000 Texas Turf Classic.

“It’s a pleasure to be here,” Rispoli said in an interview conducted by Lone Star. “My first time in Texas, my first ride – what could be better than that?”

Rispoli had two other stakes mounts on the card, but both horses were scratched.

What Say Thee ($5.80) broke out and had one horse beat early as he lagged behind the fractions of 23.36 seconds for the opening quarter, 47.40 for the half-mile and 1:11.90 for six furlongs set by eventual third-place finisher Komorebino Omoide.

What Say Thee advanced between horses on the final turn, came five wide into the stretch and accelerated as Ole Crazy Bone was picking up steam on the inside. The winner covered the 1 1/8 miles on firm ground in quick 1:47.65.

The Kentucky-based Mike Maker trains What Say Thee, who gave him his 28th stakes win over Texas turf. Maker has won multiple stakes at the state’s tracks of Lone Star, Sam Houston and Retama Park. He was winning his third straight Texas Turf Classic.

What Say Thee was winning his third straight race, behind two 1 1/8-mile turf allowances in Kentucky. He is a son of Sea the Stars and races for Paradise Farms and David Staudacher.

In the companion race for fillies and mares, Libban was always prominent for a 5 1/2-length win over Glenall in the $125,000 Wasted Tears. It was another three-quarters of a length back in third to Colors of the Wind.

Libban ($5) sat just off fractions of 23.88 seconds for the opening quarter, 47.61 for the half-mile and 1:11.53 for six furlongs before going on to cover the 1 1/16 miles on firm turf in a strong 1:41.28.

Edgard Zayas was aboard for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.

Libban is a daughter of Laoban owned by C2 Racing Stable and Paul Braverman.

Agent Peter Graves won his second straight stakes at the meet when he set a torrid pace and held off a rolling Minnesota Ready to capture the $125,000 Grand Prairie Turf Sprint by a head. It was 1 3/4 lengths back to Artemus Citylimits and Sir Lancelot, who finished in a dead heat for third.

Agent Peter Graves ($7.80) came into the race off a win in the Chamberlain Bridge last month at Lone Star. On Saturday, he set fractions of 21.20 seconds for the opening quarter and 43.59 for the half-mile before completing five-eighths in a quick 55.84.

C.J. McMahon was aboard for trainer Scott Young.

Agent Peter Graves is a son of Noble Mission who races for his breeder, Linda Juckette.

*** Attendance ontrack was 8,681 and handle on the 10-race card from all sources was $918,460, according to figures provided by Lone Star. Of that handle amount, $623,903 was bet ontrack. Lone Star's signal is limited to Texas tracks and international sites due to an ongoing impasse between the Texas Racing Commission and the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority.

*** Earlier on the card, the 2-year-old filly Stilettos ($3.80) won her career debut by 16 3/4 lengths. She covered five furlongs in 58.24 seconds. Stilettos is by Upstart and trained by Bret Calhoun.

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