Stretchout should suit Darlin Dixie

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Turf will be the focus of the racing program at Lone Star Park on Sunday, with five of the nine races carded for the grass. The feature is the seventh race, a 7 1/2-furlong turf allowance for fillies and mares, which drew Asheville and Darlin Dixie.

The two finished a length apart last out in the $75,000 Miller Lite Stakes, with Asheville finishing second in the five-furlong turf sprint and Darlin Dixie, who was hung wide, fourth. The race was won by Leslie's Love.

Donnie Von Hemel, who trains Darlin Dixie, looks forward to racing her two turns agains.

"Some of her biggest wins have been at a mile on turf," he said. Darlin Dixie won the $50,000 Ricks Memorial at a mile on turf at Remington Park last September.

Asheville has yet to win a stakes, but she ran creditably in her first stakes try in the Miller Lite. She is trained by Steve Asmussen, the co-leading turf trainer at the meet, and will be ridden by Corey Lanerie, who has won more turf races this meet than any other jockey.

Next for See How She Runs

The Lone Star-based See How She Runs, who suffered her first defeat in six career starts Wednesday night when she was beaten a head in the $150,000 Iowa Oaks, came out of the race in good order and is to make her next start in the Grade 3, $100,000 Singapore Plate at Arlington Park on Aug. 10.

"She should be very competitive in there," said Donnie Von Hemel, who trains See How She Runs for Pin Oak Stable.

See How She Runs won the first five starts of her career, including the Grade 2 Fantasy at Oaklawn and the Grade 1 Selene at Woodbine. She is scheduled to ship from Iowa to Arlington early next week, where she will be stabled with Von Hemel's father, trainer Don Von Hemel.

Valhol out with bone chip

Valhol, who finished an uncharacteristic ninth to Congaree in the Grade 3, $300,000 Lone Star Park Handicap on May 27, chipped an ankle in the race and has since undergone surgery to remove a small bone chip. He is recuperating at owner Jim Jackson's farm outside of Austin, Texas, and is to return to training with Dallas Keen in August.

"If he was going to have a chip, I guess that was a good place to have it, in the ankle," said Keen. "I'm not worried whether he'll come back or not. I think he'll come back fine."

This spring, Valhol won the $125,000 Whirlaway Handicap at Fair Grounds over Parade Leader, who went on to win the Grade 2, $500,000 New Orleans Handicap. Over all, he has won 5 of 18 starts and $380,350.

Keen will be based at Ellis Park with 30 horses following the Lone Star meet, which ends July 14.

Plans for Premeditation

Premeditation, who rallied up the rail to win the $100,000 Alysheba Breeders' Cup for 3-year-olds at Lone Star on Wednesday night, is under consideration for the Grade 3, $250,000 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park on Aug. 25.

Another option for the colt is the $75,000 Colorado Derby at Arapahoe Park on Aug. 4.

Trainer Bill Leach said he and owner Bill Clifton have discussed those two spots for Premeditation, and will firm up plans in the next couple of weeks. Earlier this year, Premeditation won the Borderland Derby at Sunland Park.

o Jockey E.J. Perrodin, who has been sidelined with a sore back for more than a month following a spill in May, returns to action in the second race Sunday aboard Carly Castelli.