Silverhill leads the charge for Calhoun brigade in Groovy Stakes

Trainer Bret Calhoun will send out one-third of the field in Saturday night’s Groovy Stakes, one of four $50,000, Texas-bred stakes on the card at Sam Houston Race Park. The program also includes the Richard King, which drew Magna Breeze for trainer Mike Maker; the Star of Texas, which drew defending race winner Texas Air for trainer Allen Milligan; and the Spirit of Texas, which drew Solar Charge for trainer Ellen Williams.

Sam Houston’s stakes are part of the Texas Champions Weekend that opens the meet. The Friday card had three stakes, all for fillies or mares bred in Texas. Males get the spotlight Saturday.

GROOVY S. (RACE 8)

KEY CONTENDERS

Silverhill (Last 3 Beyers: 74-46-77)

◗ He has the highest profile of the Calhoun starters in the Groovy, a six-furlong race for 3-year-olds. Last year, the horse was second in the Grade 3 Bashford Manor at Churchill Downs.

◗ Silverhill also was second in a division of the Texas Stallion Stakes at Retama Park in his most recent start Nov. 15. “I don’t think he got away too good, spotted them pretty good at the break,” said Calhoun. “He still ran a good second, and I look for him to move forward. He’s one you can count on. He’s going to show up pretty much every race.”

◗ Colby Hernandez has the mount for owner Doug Scharbauer.

Supermason (Last 3 Beyers: 70-81-28)

◗ He is returning to a sprint distance after finishing seventh last out in the $255,000 Springboard Mile at Remington Park on Dec. 14. The last time he ran around one turn, he was a 5 1/4-length optional-claiming winner over 6 1/2 furlongs at Remington on Nov. 29.

“He ran huge in the sprint race, finally kind of put it together,” said Calhoun. “He’s talented – mentally, he hadn’t been there yet. He showed up in that sprint race at Remington, ran like we always thought he would. I’m hoping cutting back in distance, he’ll run back to that race that he ran at Remington. I think that would make him very tough.”

◗ Lindey Wade has the mount for owner Brad Grady.

Alamo City (Last 3 Beyers: 65-71-49)

◗ He enters off a close fourth-place finish in a first-level allowance race at Delta Downs on Dec. 13.

◗ Scharbauer also owns Alamo City, to be ridden by Deshawn Parker.

RICHARD KING S. (RACE 9)

KEY CONTENDERS

Magna Breeze (Last 3 Beyers: 86-83-87)

◗ He’s won his last three starts in a streak that began in a starter allowance at Indiana Grand in September.

◗ Magna Breeze is moving back into the Texas-bred ranks after taking a $15,000 optional claimer at Fair Grounds. The last time he ran with statebreds, he captured the $50,000 Texas Horse Racing Hall of Fame Stakes at Retama Park in October.

Quiet Accleration (Last 3 Beyers: 78-71-59)

◗ He’s the defending race winner in the Richard King.

In the other Saturday stakes races:

◗ In the Star of Texas Stakes, Texas Air makes his first start since September, when he was second in a Retama Park optional claimer. Last year, he won the Star of Texas, a one-mile race for 4-year-olds and up, by 2 3/4 lengths. His chief rival is F J Uncle Vic.

◗ Solar Charge goes turf to dirt for the $50,000 Spirit of Texas for older horses at six furlongs. He is a winner on the main track at Sam Houston.