Trainer Calhoun sweeps both divisions of Texas Thoroughbred Futurity

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – Horses trained by Bret Calhoun swept both $150,000 divisions of the Texas Thoroughbred Futurity on Sunday at Lone Star Park, with Free Drop Maddy winning her maiden against fellow fillies and Vietnam Victory coming back along the rail to defeat colts and geldings.

The races were among five restricted stakes making up the annual Stars of Texas Day. The stakes were worth a cumulative $525,000.

Vietnam Victory ($21.40) raced first and pressed a hot pace set by Bling Bling Bling, who took the field through an opening quarter in 21.85 seconds and 45.89 for the half-mile. Vietnam Victory put Bling Bling Bling away into the stretch, but soon lost his advantage to Village Way before finding more and going on to cover 5 1/2 furlongs on a fast track in 1:06.13.

Vietnam Victory won by two lengths over Village Way, while it was another six lengths back in third to Little Jony.

Jose Alvarez was aboard Vietnam Victory for Vietnam veteran James Stodola and trainer Bret Calhoun.

“He’s a colt we bought at the yearling sale at Lone Star for a new owner, Jim Stodola,” Calhoun said. “It’s the first time he’s ever owned a horse before.”

Vietnam Victory won first time out of the box for Stodola, taking a maiden special weight over 4 1/2 furlongs on May 15 at Lone Star.

“He’s a horse that was really ready to run first time out,” Calhoun said. “He was down at the training center, then they brought him in and felt they had him very ready. I don’t think he’s a four and a half furlong, early, horse, but he was so ready he was able to go out there and do it and win. It was encouraging.”

Calhoun said from there he felt Vietnam Victory would move forward for the additional time he had from his maiden win to the stakes and appreciate the added distance he picked up Sunday.

Vietnam Victory is a son of Klimt and the Smart Strike mare Real Strike. He is now 2 for 2 with earnings of $109,620.

In the nightcap, Free Drop Maddy ($5.60) jumped out to the lead under jockey Gabe Saez and proceeded to set fractions of 21.94 for the opening quarter and 46.09 for the half-mile. She had more in the stretch and covered the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:06.02 - a tad quicker than her male counterparts.

“She’s a little bit on the smaller side, but she’s very fast,” Calhoun said. “She seems to have quite a bit of stamina for a small filly – and strength.”

Free Drop Maddy topped the Texas 2-year-olds in training sale in April at Lone Star, when she brought a $200,000 bid from owner Landon Jordan. She is a daughter of Free Drop Billy and she was making her second career start after a runner-up finish in a key maiden special weight race at Churchill Downs.

Free Drop Maddy won the TTA Futurity by 1 3/4 lengths over Guitar Woman. It was another 1 1/2 lengths back in third to Cajun Gumbow.

Free Drop Maddy earned $90,000 for the win, improving her earnings to $102,700.

No Mas Tequila takes Fiesta Mile

No Mas Tequila won her fourth stakes race of the year when she shuttled to a 1 1/2-length win over Rosie Jane in the $75,000 Fiesta Mile. It was another head back in third to Imaluckycharm, who is a half-sister to No Mas Tequila.

The race was for Texas-bred fillies and mares on turf.

No Mas Tequila ($3.40) was content to stalk the pace set by Discreet Smile, who set fractions of 23.40 for the opening quarter, 47.33 for the half-mile and 1:11.47 for six furlongs. No Mas Tequila was angled out into the stretch, and went on to cover the distance on firm turf in 1:35.74.

Leandro Goncalves was aboard for trainer Karen Jacks.

No Mas Tequila is a daughter of Northern Afleet who races for James Sills. She started her 2022 season with wins in the Miss Bluebonnet and San Jacinto this winter at Sam Houston, then captured the Lane’s End Danny Shifflett Scholarship Stakes in June at Lone Star prior to the Fiesta Mile. No Mas Tequila has now won 7 of 23 starts and earned $299,752.

Double for Wethey

Jockey Floyd Wethey Jr. had a stakes double on the card when he won the $75,000 Valor Farm with Boerne then came right back and captured the $75,000 Assault with Kenai Bob.

Both races were for 3-year-olds and up bred in Texas.

The Valor Farm was for fillies and mares and Boerne ($7.20) took the lead from the bell and set fractions of 22.77 for the opening quarter and 45.46 for the half-mile. In the stretch she was confronted by Ima Discreet Lady, but managed to fight that one off for a half-length victory. Ima Discreet Lady finished 3 1/2 lengths clear of third-place finisher Heavenly Rhythm. The winner covered six furlongs in 1:11.74.

Robertino Diodoro trains Boerne for De Luca and Sons Stable. She is a daughter of Fed Biz and is now 9 for 24 for earnings of $364,294.

Kenai Bob ($6) won the Assault for the second year in a row, when he used his good speed to get position coming out of the 11-hole in the one-mile race and proceeded to control the pace. He put up fractions of 23.73 seconds for the opening quarter, 47.76 for the half-mile and 1:11.43 for six furlongs. Kenai Bob went on to win in hand on firm ground, in 1:35.22.

Kenai Bob won by five lengths over Robo, while it was another 2 3/4 lengths back in third to Dust Em.

Francisco Bravo trains Kenai Bob for Michael Grossman. Kenai Bob is a son of Shackleford who has now won 8 of 34 starts for earnings of $403,609.

*** Handle on the nine-race card from all sources was $322,565, with $254,840 of that amount bet by the ontrack crowd of 2,966, according to figures provided by Lone Star. The track’s signal has been restricted this month to other tracks in Texas and international sites due to an impasse between the Texas Racing Commission and the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority. There is no offtrack betting in Texas. The meet ends next Sunday, July 24.