Taylor chasing elusive win in Texas Classic Futurity

Trainer Heath Taylor is hoping the seventh time is the charm Saturday night in the Grade 1, $1,031, 211 Texas Classic Futurity for Quarter Horses at Lone Star Park. He sends out Dulce Sin Tacha against strong favorite Instygator in what is the closing-night feature on a card of five stakes – and the richest purse in Texas.

“It’s a race I’ve always really wanted to win,” Taylor said. “Six times we’ve been second. We’ve qualified as many as six in one year.

“My horse is doing so good. I’m like, ‘Man, c’mon, please be the one.’ ”

Taylor knows Dulce Sin Tacha is in for a fight. Instygator was the runner-up in the All American Futurity in September at Ruidoso Downs and following that race set the fastest qualifying time for the 400-yard Texas Classic Futurity when he won his Nov. 8 trial in 19.75 seconds. Big Eagle Gone was the second fastest qualifier in 19.81 when he won his debut in the 15th and final trial by 1 3/4 lengths.

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“I think when you look at the race on paper, and you look at the race in the trials, Instygator is a standout from being Grade 1-proven,” Taylor said. “The two times he’s been defeated the entire year were narrow losses, in the All American, and he was a close third in the Heritage Place to a horse I’m fortunate to have – and it took a Herculean effort to beat the horse.

“The horse that won the last trial also was extremely impressive – the field he beat and the distance he beat them. So, it’s a deep field. We’re really respectful of all the horses in there. We know they’re all very capable and at the same time, I really, really like my horse as well. He’s been a nice horse all year. I think to beat Instygator and those kinds of horses you have to run an absolutely flawless, picture-perfect race.”

Dulce Sin Tacha has won 4 of 5 starts, all for Bob and Jerry Gaston, with his lone loss a second by a neck in the All American Juvenile in September at Ruidoso. He stumbled, was bumped around and lost both of his front shoes not long after the start of the race.

“The gate crew brought the shoes back,” said Taylor.

Dulce Sin Tacha rebounded with a length and a half win in his trial for the Texas Classic in 19.94.

“The horse had never raced at night and he was in the 11th trial,” Taylor said. “He’d never seen the lights and that was a little bit of a concern. I thought he did everything well. He ran a sharp, clean race.”

Rodrigo Vallejo has the mount from post 9.

James A. Flores will be aboard Instygator from post 4.