Slick City Nites to attempt a mile

Slick City Nites will get his first two-turn test on Saturday night, when he stretches out to one mile for the $40,000 Texas Heritage for 3-year-olds at Sam Houston Race Park.

The nine entrants for the race also include Rungius, who is also entered in Saturday night's $50,000 Sportsman's Paradise at Evangeline Downs; Herman Muttster, a winner the last time he raced over one mile; and Brick Fight, who won a division of the Texas Stallion Stakes at one mile at 41-1.

Slick City Nites used stalk-and-pounce tactics last out to win the $30,000 Bucharest at Sam Houston on Jan. 28, drawing off in the later stages of the six-furlong stakes. Trainer Steve Asmussen has given the mount on Slick City Nites, a son of Valid Expectations, to leading rider Glen Murphy.

Herman Muttster was second in the Bucharest, and before that he won a two-turn allowance by a nose on Jan. 28. He is also entered in the Sportsman's Paradise. Sam Houston-based trainer Michelle Lovell has given the mount in the Heritage to Omar Rodriguez.

Rungius was second in the Grade 3 Kentucky Cup Juvenile in his two-turn debut last September. New trainer Tom Amoss has named Terry Stanton to ride in the Heritage.

* Middleweight, the winner of the $100,000 Maxxam Gold Cup at Sam Houston on Jan. 21, is entered in an optional claiming turf race at 1 1/16 miles Saturday night, a race split in two divisions. Among those taking on Middleweight are stakes winners Waupaca, Agrivating General, and Oncearoundtwice. In the sixth, the leading contenders include stakes winners A R Crackers and Twilight Vision.