Trickey Crew finds life begins anew at 7

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Trickey Crew, who was first claimed in 2001 for $20,000, has made his way back to his original connections after seven barn changes, and is now headed to the Claiming Crown at Canterbury Park.

He earned a berth into the $50,000 Iron Horse, to be run July 19, by winning a prep for the race last month at his home track of Lone Star Park.

Now a 7-year-old, Trickey Crew showed up for a claiming price of $4,000 at Hawthorne Race Course on March 1, and was taken out of that race by his breeder, Larry Dyson.

"He claimed him to retire him," said Joe Petalino, who trains Trickey Crew. "We tried to turn him out in Arkansas, but he didn't like being turned out. So we put him back in training, and he got to doing real good, better than ever."

Petalino had Trickey Crew - who he had won five stakes in 1998 and 1999 - ready to start in May, and the horse finished third in a $10,000 claimer at Lone Star.

Following that race, Trickey Crew won a $5,000 starter race that served as the prep for the Iron Horse. In that race, he defeated Regal Tour, runner-up last year in the Iron Horse.

"He's fun to train, and fun to have around again," said Petalino, who has won with 25 percent of his starters this meet.

Trickey Crew will be Petalino's first starter in the Claiming Crown.

Others from Lone Star pointing for the series, according to officials with the Claiming Crown, are Pager, who won the local prep for the $50,000 Express, Prime Time Man, and Regal Tour.

The Claiming Crown is made up of six restricted stakes worth a cumulative $550,000.

Added distance for Big Meany

Trainer Patrick Mouton, who won the local prep for the $250,000 Dallas Turf Cup last Saturday with Storybook Kid ($30.20), will saddle Big Meany in Friday night's feature race. The two-other-than allowance will be run at 1 1/16 miles, and it drew a field of seven.

Big Meany rallied fast for fourth last out at this condition going a mile. Mouton believes the added sixteenth will benefit Big Meany on Friday.

"I've run him twice here, and he has had a win and a fourth, and when he finished fourth, it seemed like the mile was too short for him," said Mouton, who has given the mount to E. J. Perrodin.

Mouton, a regular at Lone Star since it opened in 1997, is in the midst of his strongest meet at the track. He has won with 8 of 34 starters through Tuesday, a 24-percent win clip.

"We came here with horses that had conditions, and that makes all the difference," said Mouton.

One of the best horses in his barn is Storybook Kid, who has won his last three starts. He will be considered for the Dallas Turf Cup, to be run at 1 1/8 miles at Lone Star on June 21.

"We're going to nominate and see who's coming," said Mouton.

Storybook Kid rallied from last to first to win the allowance prep, winning in a field that included millionaire turf specialist Candid Glen.

Plans pending for Candid Glen

Candid Glen, who finished sixth as the favorite in the Dallas Turf Cup allowance prep, came out of the race in good order, but his next start has yet to be determined, said trainer Andrew Leggio Jr.

Leggio said Candid Glen is a possible for the Dallas Turf Cup, but could also wait for the Independence Breeders' Cup at Louisiana Downs.

Candid Glen won the Grade 2, $650,000 Explosive Bid Handicap at Fair Grounds at 84-1 in March.

* Mr Ross, who finished fourth in his comeback from a nine-month layoff Sunday in a six-furlong allowance, came out of the race in good order and will get more distance for his next start, said trainer Donnie Von Hemel.

Mr Ross is a two-time stakes winner around one turn, but has scored his biggest career wins around two turns. He has earned $1 million for owner Don McNeill.