Thermal lands first stakes win in Memorial Day Sprint
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – Thermal became a stakes winner on Monday, when she sailed to an 8 1/4-length victory over Aye Candy in the $100,000 Memorial Day Sprint at Lone Star Park. It was another neck back in third to Mystic Lake.
The race was the first of six scheduled stakes on the annual Lone Star Million Day. The races are worth a cumulative $1.2 million and they make for the richest card of the season.
Thermal ($6.60) broke on top and set fractions of 21.84 seconds for the opening quarter and 44.04 the half-mile before going to cover the six furlongs for fillies and mares in 1:08.56.
The track was fast, after being upgraded from good one race prior to the Memorial Day Sprint.
Luis Saez was aboard Thermal for trainer John Sadler.
Thermal is a daughter of Nyquist who races for Sadler and By Talla Racing.
She has now won 4 of 14 starts and earned $233,117.
Chamberlain Bridge
The $100,000 Chamberlain Bridge was moved from the turf to the main track and Surveillance rallied in the stretch for a half-length win over Let’s Go Mark. It was another 1 1/2 lengths back in third to Sawasdee.
Surveillance ($13) raced behind an opening quarter in 22 seconds and went on to cover five furlongs on a fast track in 58.53 seconds.
Lane Luzzi was aboard for trainer Tristan Ashford.
Surveillance is a son of Constitution who races for Karen Ashford. He was winning the sixth stakes race of his career. Overall, he is 14 for 57 for earnings of $1.3 million.
It has been a volatile weekend of wet weather in North Texas. Lone Star was forced to cancel its final four races on Sunday due to storms, and there was no training at the track Monday. There were ominous clouds and rising winds at times during the card Monday. The track moved all of its turf races to the main track prior to the start of the card Monday.
Lone Star’s signal was limited to tracks in Texas and international sites because of an ongoing impasse between the Texas Racing Commission and the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority.
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