Texas Belle can add to big meet for Willis in Shifflett Scholarship Stakes

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – Texas Belle can sweeten the outstanding meet trainer Mindy Willis is having at Lone Star Park on Sunday in the $50,000 Lane’s End Danny Shifflett Scholarship Stakes. The mare will start as one of the top choices in the turf route, one of four stakes on the inaugural Lone Star Showcase Day.

Willis is poised to eclipse the numbers she put up last year at Lone Star, when she had her best meet there with 16 wins from 115 starts for stable earnings of $312,874. This meet, Willis has gone 16 for 85 through Thursday night, with her charges earning $240,600 during a season that continues through July 21. Willis ranks third in the standings behind Karl Broberg and Danny Pish.

“This is the best year I’ve had at Lone Star,” said Willis, a 63-year-old native of California. “Hopefully, we can keep it up.”

Texas Belle is one of the barn’s top runners. She is returning to the Texas-bred ranks Sunday for the first time since winning back-to-back races on the Sam Houston turf course, led by the $50,000 San Jacinto Stakes in March.

“She’s pretty tough in the Texas-bred races,” said Willis, who trains Texas Belle for Richard P. Chandler.

Texas Belle has made one start at the Lone Star meet, finishing sixth to Adore in the $100,000 Lone Star Park Turf on May 27. Texas Belle finished seven lengths behind the winner in the open-company race, which also drew Kentucky shipper Sensitive.

“She came out of the race perfect,” Willis said. “Watching her run, she didn’t look real comfortable over the course that particular day. It was a little tight for her. It wouldn’t hurt if we had a little rain the day before [the Lane’s End]. The day she won here on the grass last meet, it had rained earlier on the day. They left it on, and it was a little softer. She liked it.”

Willis also trains Tiz Plus, who runs in the second race Sunday. He goes in the allowance for nonwinners of three races lifetime at a mile on turf one start after winning an entry-level allowance in his local debut May 25.

“We really like him,” said Willis, who trains the 3-year-old son of Tizway for Bronte Marshall. “He loves the grass. He seems to run over any course.

“And he runs like a professional every time. That’s helped him. A lot of little stuff can cost you a race. He’s all racehorse. We’re real happy with what we’ve seen so far.”

Sunlit Song has won back-to-back allowances at the meet for Willis, his latest against Texas-breds on June 8. He defeated a field that included seven-time stakes winner Supermason. Before that, Sunlit Song won over open company April 19.

Willis said he’s been nominated to the $50,000 Assault Stakes on July 14 at Lone Star. The one-mile race has been moved from dirt to turf and is for 3-year-olds and up bred in Texas.

“He just won the prep the other day,” said Willis. “We were pretty excited. He’s getting better and better.”

Other allowance winners for Willis at the meet include Sassy Kenzie Girl, a 3-year-old filly by Bind, and Snoose Sasa. Shifty Henry, a 3-year-old by Silver City, runs in a Saturday allowance at Lone Star.

Willis has a diverse group of owners, many of whom are based in the North Texas region that houses Lone Star. She also has owners from such locales as California and Oklahoma. They are a big part of the trainer’s success at this meet.

“I have very, very good owners right now,” Willis said. “They allow me to do my job with compassion and heart and try and run their horses where they need to run. It makes my job so much easier.”

◗ The Staunch Avenger and Pan Zareta for 2-year-olds Sunday at Lone Star will kick off the Texas Stallion Stakes series of races.

◗ Lone Star will have at least five food trucks ontrack Sunday.