Pinky Ring Bling, Eagle Express look tough in divisions of Texas Stallion Stakes

Trainer Ronnie Cravens won the first Thoroughbred race of his career in 2003 at Sam Houston Race Park.

Fast forward to Thursday night, and he can win the first stakes race of his career at the Houston track.

Cravens will saddle probable odds-on favorite Pinky Ring Bling in the $75,000 My Dandy division of the Texas Stallion Stakes. The 5 1/2-furlong race restricted to the 3-year-old offspring of eligible stallions is one of two stakes on the 11-race card.

Eagle Express heads the $75,000 Darby’s Daughter division of the Texas Stallion Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. Other highlights on the program include the appearances of top older Texas-breds Sunlit Song, Kenai Bob, Ima Discreet Lady, Shes Our Fastest, and Boerne.

Pinky Ring Bling is returning to restricted company after running against open foes in his last few starts at Remington Park. He was third in the $75,000 Kip Deville on Sept. 26, then ran third in a conditioned allowance in his most recent start Nov. 30.

For the allowance effort, Pinky Ring Bling earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 60. It’s the best career number in the My Dandy division and it’s at least 22 points higher than each of his four rivals Thursday has earned.

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Pinky Ring Bling has been working at Sam Houston since the Remington meet and will break from post 3 under Ernesto Valdez-Jiminez. Lone Star Racing Club owns the son of Too Much Bling and the mare Formal Flyer. Formal Flyer is a past Texas Stallion Stakes winner and has produced a stakes winner in Gold Pilot.

Cravens saddled his first winner Nov. 6, 2003. He is off to a strong start at the Sam Houston meet, going 4 for 24 through Sunday.

Eagle Express is looking for her second Texas Stallion Stakes division win after taking the $75,000 Pan Zareta in June at Lone Star Park. It’s a Gee Thing and Texas Thunder, who finished a respective second and third in the race, are among her four rivals in the Darby’s Daughter.

Stewart Elliott has the mount on Eagle Express from post 4. Steve Asmussen trains the daughter of Eagle for her breeder, W.S. Farish.

The eighth race matches Kenai Bob and Sunlight Song over a mile on turf. The two-other-than allowance for 4-year-olds and up bred in Texas also drew fellow stakes winner Moojab Jr.

Kenai Bob is making his first start since winning the $75,000 Assault in July at Lone Star, with a Beyer Speed Figure of 90. Sunlit Song enters off a no-conditions allowance win Oct. 20 at Remington Park.

The race figures to produce starters for Texas Champions Day at Sam Houston, as does the seventh. The two-other-than allowance sprint for fillies and mares drew Texas-bred stakes winners Ima Discreet Lady, who is 2 for 2 over the local main track; Shes Our Fastest, who was third last out in the $100,000 Treasure Chest at Delta Downs; and Boerne, a stakes winner at Lone Star and Gulfstream Park.