Sam Houston: Always in My Heart comes up rail to win Distaff

Always In My Heart rallied up the rail to overtake pacesetter Puddy Tap and win the $50,000 Sam Houston Distaff at Sam Houston Race Park on Saturday night. The remaining order of finish was Standbyyourmangirl in third, followed by Miss Hockaday, and Patty’s Pride.

Always In My Heart ($6) sat behind the pace set by Puddy Tap, who took the field of fillies and mares through fractions of 24.10 for the opening quarter and 48.22 for the half-mile. Always In My Heart went on to cover the mile and a sixteenth in 1:44.91 and win by three-quarters of a length.

“She relaxed so well for me on the backside,” said Glen Murphy, who rode Always in My Heart for trainer Donnie Von Hemel. “I knew I had room on the rail and she had plenty left.”

Always in My Heart became a stakes winner with her score in the Sam Houston Distaff. She has now won 6 of 18 starts and $170,604. She is a 6-year-old mare by Hennessy and she races for her breeder, Pin Oak Stable.

The win was one of three on the card for Murphy, whose wife, Joy Rose Murphy, the paddock host at Remington Park, also had a big win Saturday night. She was crowned Mrs. Oklahoma.