Texas Chrome’s connections mull next-race options

The ultimate objective for Texas Chrome this season is the $250,000 Springboard Mile at Remington Park, but the undefeated 2-year-old’s path to that Oklahoma City fixture could run through Retama Park near San Antonio. Danny Keene and trainer Shea Stuart on Friday were debating their next move with Texas Chrome, who improved his record to 3 for 3 with a win in the $100,000 Gold Rush Futurity earlier this month at Arapahoe Park.

“We’ve got to decide whether to go to the Stallion Stakes at Retama or the Kip Deville at Remington,” said Stuart.

Both $75,000 stakes races will be run over six furlongs, with the restricted Texas Stallion Stakes on Sept. 12 and the Kip Deville on Sept. 27. The Springboard Mile is set for Dec. 13.

Texas Chrome put in a determined stretch bid to capture the Gold Rush, and the Beyer Speed Figure of 79 that he earned is a career high for the son of Grasshopper. Earlier this year, Texas Chrome won a maiden special weight race and a $100,000 division of the Texas Thoroughbred Association Sales Futurity at Lone Star Park near Dallas. He is now based at Remington.

Stuart said Texas Chrome shipped back from Arapahoe to Remington on Aug. 17 and resumed training late last week. He said the horse emerged from the Gold Rush in good order. Stuart is looking forward to an eventual move to two turns for Texas Chrome and would like to see him develop into a candidate for the 3-year-old program at Oaklawn.

Stuart hopes to set up a division at Oaklawn and plans to request stall space for the meet that opens in January. He would be a new face to the trainer ranks in Hot Springs, Ark. Stuart is a private trainer for Keene, who has won multiple owner titles at Lone Star Park and Sam Houston Race Park in Houston.