Sam Houston: Parker, Mora battling to finish for jockeys' title

Sam Houston Race Park closes its meet Tuesday, and the race for leading rider might go down to the final card of the season. Deshawn Parker, new to the Houston track, and Gerardo Mora, the defending champ, were tied atop the standings heading into Saturday night’s action. Each had won 33 races at Sam Houston.

Parker has one of the top choices in Tuesday’s second race, a one-mile turf allowance for 3-year-old fillies. The race is one of two high-end offerings on the card. The ninth, in which Mora will ride the promising Special Praise, is a first-level allowance for 3-year-olds at a mile on turf.

Parker’s mount Paloma P will be seeking to win her third straight race behind a 14 3/4-length maiden special weight win and a two-length allowance win, both in sprints at Turfway Park. She will be making both her two-turn and turf debut Tuesday.

Paloma P, trained by meet newcomer Eric Reed, will break from the rail. Her sire, Any Given Saturday, gets 15 percent winners from his first-time turf starters. Paloma P’s dam, Peace Pledge, was a four-time winner on grass.

Maquita Elaine also is seeking to win her third straight race in the second, and while the start will be her first start on turf, she has been perfect in route races.

“I think the two turns is her deal,” said trainer Bret Calhoun, who added Maquita Elaine also gets some pedigree support for the move to turf.

Her sire, Hard Spun, is getting 14 percent winners on grass, while her dam was a winner on turf and she has produced three turf winners to date.

Glen Murphy has the mount from post 6.

Others set to start in the second race include Thegirlinthatsong, winner of the $100,000 Happy Ticket last fall at Louisiana Downs, and Discreet Girl, a recent allowance winner who like Maquita Elaine is trained by Calhoun.

In the ninth race, Mora’s mount, Special Praise, will be making his second career start after winning his debut last out in a one-mile turf race at Sam Houston. He rallied from next-to-last for a 1 1/4-length win. Val Ray Foster trains Special Praise, who is a son of River Squall.

Dehaven, who was third in the $60,000 Prairie Meadows Juvenile last August, and Check Ride, who was stakes-placed last summer at Lone Star Park, are other contenders.

◗ Steve Asmussen led the trainer standings into Saturday night’s card with 24 wins from 64 starts. Danny Pish ranked second with 18, and Reed was third, with 16.

◗ The next start for Ibaka, who has won back-to-back stakes for 3-year-olds at Sam Houston, is to be determined, Calhoun said.