Quarter Horses return to Lone Star

The Grade 1, $1 million Texas Classic Futurity will again highlight the Lone Star Park meet for Quarter Horses, which opens Friday night. The 16-date season will run through Nov. 9.

The Texas Classic Futurity is the state’s richest race. It will be run over 400 yards on the final card of the meet. Trials are Oct. 19. The Texas Classic Derby goes on the same Nov. 9 card, with the Grade 1, $400,000 race to be held at 440 yards.

Lone Star’s opening week features trials for two other major stakes. There are seven trials Friday for the Grade 2, $200,000 Dash For Cash Derby, with the series drawing Grade 1 winner Eysa Jess Jumpn. The finale is Oct. 5. The card Saturday night at Lone Star will feature trials for the Grade 2, $400,000 Dash For Cash Futurity. The finale also is Oct. 5.

Lone Star’s other stakes of note include the Grade 1, $75,000 Refrigerator Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at 440 yards on Oct. 12. The track is introducing the $30,000 Paragon Oaks, with sponsor Paragon Farms awarding the winner with a breeding to its Flying Cowboy 123, who captured last year’s Texas Classic Futurity.

Lone Star will race Friday and Saturday nights, with a first post of 6:05 p.m. Central.

◗ Delta Downs announced the Lee Berwick Futurity will offer an estimated $1 million purse in 2020. It would be the second seven-figure stakes for Quarter Horses in Louisiana, behind the Louisiana Million at sister track Evangeline Downs.