Santino punches ticket to stakes

Santino is likely headed back to stakes competition after her allowance win last Sunday at Lone Star Park.

Trainer Matt Hebert on Wednesday was looking over options and said one race under consideration is the $100,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Turf at Ellis Park. The one-mile turf stakes for fillies and mares is Aug. 4.

“We’re eyeballing it,” said Hebert, who trains Santino for Susan Moulton. “Nothing’s set in stone.”

Santino rolled to a length win at Lone Star, quickening in the stretch under Danny Sorenson. The filly, a 4-year-old by Artie Schiller, covered the mile on firm turf in 1:35.40.

“I actually would like to go longer with her,” Hebert said. “Danny said she was just starting to warm up at the wire.”

One start prior to the allowance, Santino was fourth in the $100,000 Lone Star Park Turf Stakes.

“She walked out of the gate, ran a big fourth,” Hebert said.

Hebert is in his first season at Lone Star, which closes its meet July 21. In a few weeks, the barn is scheduled to ship to Ellis Park.

“This is the first time we’ve been down here,” Hebert said. “We’d been to Houston the last two winters and said, ‘Let’s go check out Dallas.’ ”

Hebert’s others winners at the meet include Top Hat Charmer and Sing the Song, a pair of 2-year-old fillies who won their debuts in maiden special weight races. Hebert said both are being pointed to the $100,000 fillies division of the Texas Thoroughbred Futurity on July 14 at Lone Star.