Stakes sweep for Asmussen

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Trainer Steve Asmussen swept both closing day stakes at Lone Star Park on Sunday, and overall won seven races on the 14-race card to shatter the track record for trainer wins on a program.

Asmussen also came within one win of tying the North American trainer mark for wins on a card, eight, which was set by J.C. Williams at Waterford Park in West Virginia in 1979.

The previous Lone Star record for trainer wins on a card was four, which was shared by Asmussen and Cole Norman.

In the closing day stakes, Asmussen sent out Confiding Winner($8.20) to capture the $84,450 Silver Spur Breeders' Cup and Mountain General($14.80) to post a length victory over stablemates Compendium and Big Numbers in the $75,000 Bob Johnson Memorial.

Confiding Winner tracked the pace in fourth in the Silver Spur, racing about four lengths behind fractions of 22.23 seconds for the opening quarter, and 44.78 seconds for the half in the six-furlong race for 2-year-old fillies. She split horses in the stretch, and went on to cover the distance in 1:11.02.

It was a neck back in second to Sea Bloom, who was 1.25 lengths clear of third-place finisher Parting.

Corey Lanerie rode Confiding Winner, and also was aboard Mountain General, who raced about eight lengths off the lead in the Bob Johnson while Won C C and Compendium dueled through an opening four furlongs in the one-mile race in 45.89 seconds.

Mountain General began to pick up steam at the quarter pole, and rallied through the stretch to win in 1:35.57.

"I had a groundsaving trip," said Lanerie, who rode Mountain General for owner Keith Asmussen.

The win was the first in a stakes for Mountain General, who earned $45,000 to improve his record to five wins from 15 starts for earnings of $201,195.

Confiding Winner, who remained perfect in two career starts with her win in the Silver Spur, races for Leprechaun Racing and Martin Racing Stable.

Lanerie won five races at Lone Star on Sunday.