Sam Houston: Cowgirl N Up takes opening-night Bara Lass Stakes

Cowgirl N Up edged Nothinbettertodo to win the $50,000 Bara Lass on opening night of the Sam Houston meet on Friday. The race for 3-year-old fillies bred in Texas was the first of three stakes on the card. They served as the first half of Texas Champions Weekend, which continues Saturday night with four stakes led by the $100,000 Star of Texas.

Cowgirl N Up ($8.80) won the second stakes of her career when she rallied to cover seven furlongs in 1:24.29. Larry Taylor was aboard Cowgirl N Up for owner-trainer Caroline Dodwell.

“I’m really proud of her,” Dodwell said. “Most of all, I am proud of my husband because it is his mare that both she and Aces N Kings are out of.”

Aces N Kings is a multiple stakes winner who is to run Saturday night at Sam Houston in the $50,000 Spirit of Texas. Both horses were bred by Ed Dodwell.

* In the $50,000 San Jacinto for Texas-bred fillies and mares on turf, Badness ($17) wired the field to win by 2 1/2 lengths. Ernesto Valdez-Jiminez was aboard for Sierra Racing Stable and trainer Andrew Konkoly.

* The $50,000 Yellow Rose for Texas-bred fillies and mares at six furlongs went to Joy’s Paradise, who drove to a 1 3/4-length win over Tin Top Cat. Glen Murphy rode Joy’s Paradise ($11.40) for Hubert Southard and trainer Karl Broberg.

“She was really on her game,” said Murphy. “There was some speed in the race, but the further she went, the better she got. She ran a beautiful race.”

Handle on the 10-race card from all sources was $1,262,601.