Solar Charge turns tables in Premiere Stakes

Solar Charge, second to Triumph and Song three times at Sam Houston early this year, got the better of his winter nemesis Thursday in the opening-night $50,000 Premiere Stakes at Lone Star Park.

Solar Charge sat the perfect trip under Glen Murphy, rating in third for the first half-mile of the 6 1/2-furlong race, as Triumph and Song was hounded by longshot Circustown Flyer to set hot fractions of 22.10 and 44.62 seconds.

Leaving the turn, it still appeared Triumph and Song, the 1-2 favorite, might last on the lead, but soon after entering the stretch he began to shorten stride, and Solar Charge, 5 1/2 lengths behind him after a half-mile, began to cut into his advantage. Solar Charge pulled within 2 1/2 lengths with a furlong remaining, and took command inside the sixteenth pole before drawing away late.

Solar Charge won by 1 1/2 lengths over Triumph and Song, with third-place Gold Element another half -ength back in third.

The winner, a 7-year-old Authenticate gelding trained by Ellen Williams and owned by Carolyn Barnett and David and Lana Alford, raced the distance in 1:17.63. He paid $9.40 as the second favorite in the field of six.

Attendance was 6,145, well off last year’s opening-night crowd of 8,518.