Sunlit Song's change of strategy pays off in Assault

Sunlit Song changed tactics and won his first stakes race Sunday at Lone Star Park, where he caught favorite Redatory by a neck in the $75,000 Assault.

It was another half-length back in third to Moojab Jr.

The Assault was one of two stakes on the card. Brave Daisey won the $75,000 Valor Farm for the second time in her career. The stakes were both restricted to horses bred in Texas.

The win by Sunlit Song was particularly meaningful for his breeder and co-owner, Carolyn Barnett.

“He’s fifth generation from the first mare I ever bought,” she said in a post-race interview broadcast by Lone Star.

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Sunlit Song ($5) has done the bulk of his running on the lead, but he stalked Redatory as that one took the field through an opening quarter in 24.57 seconds, a half-mile in 48.40 and six furlongs in 1:11.48. Sunlit Song made his bid through the lane and caught the leader near the wire, covering a mile on “good” turf in 1:34.15.

“The colt has matured with age, that’s key with him,” regular rider Lindey Wade said. “He’s learned to relax more and that was key for him today, relaxing.”

Mindy Willis trains Sunlit Song. The horse had run second or third in four stakes leading up to Sunday, with his last two against Redatory.

“He’s been getting a lot more versatile,” Willis said.

Sunlit Song is a son of My Golden Song and the mare Fly So True. He also races for Becky Harding. Sunlit Song earned $45,000 on Sunday to improve his career record to six wins from 19 starts for earnings of $178,822.

The Valor Farm was for fillies and mares at six furlongs and Brave Daisey was a four and a quarter length winner over odds-on favorite Ima Discreet Lady. It was another 10.25 lengths back in third to Storm Traffic.

Brave Daisey ($6.60) was always prominent, tracking Eaton’s Memory through an opening quarter in 23.12, then taking over through a half-mile in 46.27. She went on to cover the distance on a “good" track in 1:10.42.

Danny Sorenson was aboard the winner for trainer Tina Hurley.

“She broke good, just dragged me around there,” Sorenson said in a post-race interview from Lone Star. “Tina had this horse ready.”

Ima Discreet Lady missed the break and rallied in the stretch.

Brave Daisey previously won the Valor Farm at 3, in 2018. Last year, she was second in the race. She is a 5-year-old daughter of Hidden Blessing who races for her breeder, Peter Vargas.

Brave Daisey has now won 6 of 23 starts. The first-place check of $45,000 pushed her earnings to $187,028.

Apprentice jockey Asmussen wins first race

Inis Gluaire ($3.20) gave apprentice Keith James Asmussen his first career win Sunday, when he won the ninth and final race on the card at Lone Star. Asmussen was aboard for Phoenix Thoroughbred and his father, Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

Keith Asmussen said he is race riding this summer only. The mount was his 19th and his list of starters included four runner-up finishes. Asmussen will soon return to his studies at the University of Texas.

Inis Gluaire was always prominent for a head win in the maiden special weight at seven furlongs. He is a half-brother to Woodbine Oaks winner Roan Inish.