Too Much Kiki targets Bluebonnet on Lone Star Park's opening night

Lone Star Park’s stakes schedule gets underway opening night. The eight-race card starts with the $75,000 Bluebonnet, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for fillies and mares bred in Texas.

The race has drawn one of the state’s top runners in Too Much Kiki, who won three straight sprint stakes during the Sam Houston Race Park meet before finishing second in the $100,000 Texas Thoroughbred Association Oaks in her two-turn debut March 23.

“She’s doing well, been very consistent,” trainer Bret Calhoun said. “I think the distance suits her very well. It will be her first test against older horses. I do think that’s a step up in class, as well. Hopefully, she will step up.”

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Too Much Kiki was second to Remington Park’s horse of the meet, Code West, in the TTA Oaks. Too Much Kiki broke from the rail and finished 2 1/2 lengths behind the winner for a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 76.

“She was down inside, wasn’t sharp away from there, got shuffled back to last,” Calhoun said. “And it’s a good horse that won the race. She was up there on a pretty soft pace and we couldn’t run her down. She did run well last time, probably better than it looks.”

Jose Alvarez has the mount for Mansfield Racing.

Calhoun said for the Lone Star meet, Too Much Kiki will focus on restricted opportunities while racing in her home state of Texas.

A card of five restricted races worth a total of $375,000 will make up Lone Star Showcase Day on June 1. The $525,000 Stars of Texas program of five stakes is July 13. For open company, the $625,000 Summer Turf Festival of four stakes led by the $250,000 Turf Classic at 1 1/8 miles is June 29.

Lone Star will have 6:35 p.m. Central post times on Thursdays and Fridays, 1:35 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, and a 5 p.m. post for two cards followed by fireworks on July 3-4.

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