Sam Houston: Smiles Golden Song, Vilao meet again in Tomball

Smiles Golden Song figures to have to run down frequent rival Vilao to win her third straight stakes in Saturday night’s $50,000 Tomball at Sam Houston Race Park. The 1 1/16-mile turf race is restricted to fillies and mares bred in Texas.

Smiles Golden Song began her streak in the $50,000 Fiesta Mile at Retama Park on Nov. 16. She was the favorite in that one-mile turf race and scored by 2 1/4 lengths after a stalking trip. Smiles Golden Song then took the $50,000 San Jacinto at Sam Houston on Jan. 17, overtaking Vilao for a three-quarter-length win. Apprentice David Cabrera was aboard and again has the mount for owner and breeder Sylvia Baird and trainer Larry Stroope.

Vilao will be making her second start off a layoff of almost a year.

“She battled colic last February, so we took her back to Ohio and gave her the summer off,” said Rebecca Baker, who trains Vilao for Rugged Cross Racing.

Vilao, who won the 2013 San Jacinto over Smiles Golden Song, will break from the rail under Ramon Luna.

◗ There will be a food truck festival Saturday night, with the trucks parked around the paddock area at Sam Houston.

◗ Sam Houston handled $1,876,534 on its Houston Ladies Classic card from all sources last Saturday. Attendance was 8,461.