Pivotal Decision goes for five in row

Pivotal Decision, the horse of the meet at Retama Park this spring, brings a four race winning streak into the Grade 3 $52,110 Bayer Legend Texas Challenge for 3-year-olds over 400 yards at Sam Houston Race Park on Sunday.

Pivotal Decision, owned by Joshua Harner and trained by John Buchanan, won 7 of 12 starts last year and is undefeated from four starts this year. He has finished first or second in his last 10 starts.

A $7,700 yearling purchase, Pivotal Decision wrapped up horse of the meet honors at Retama Park with a 1 1/2-length win in the Grade 1 $135,100 Retama Park Derby. He has earned $508,283.

Pivotal Decision topped the Texas Challenge qualifiers with a 19.854-second time for the 400 yards. He defeated Grade 1 Sam Houston Futurity winner Mr Bar Code by a neck.

Mr Bar Code, who defeated Pivotal Decision in the Sam Houston Futurity, has the second-fastest qualifying time of 19.891 seconds.

Sunday's winner will qualify for the Grade 1 $175,000 Bayer Legend Challenge Championship on Oct. 20 at Los Alamitos.