Union Jackson has got to go in Sam Houston Sprint Cup

Union Jackson might have to call on his quickness right from the start Saturday night when he breaks from the rail in the $50,000 Sam Houston Sprint Cup. He will be looking to hold his position in a 10-horse field that includes Bravura, who was the horse of the meet last year at Sam Houston.

Union Jackson figures to start as a strong favorite off consecutive third-place finishes in stakes at Churchill Downs and Fair Grounds.

“I’d rather him not have drawn the 1 hole in a full field, but he’s a fast horse,” said Steve Asmussen, who trains Union Jackson for Stonestreet Stables.

The Sam Houston Sprint Cup, for 4-year-olds and up at six furlongs, will share a card with the $50,000 Houston Turf. The Houston Turf will be run over 1 1/16 miles and is restricted to 4-year-olds and up bred in Texas.

The top contenders in the nine-horse Houston Turf appear to be Can’t Be Wrong, who captured the $50,000 Texas Hall of Fame Stakes in October at Retama Park, and Preacher Preacher, who is moving back into statebred company off a first-level allowance win for high-percentage trainer Mindy Willis.

Sprint Cup (Race 9)

KEY CONTENDERS

Union Jackson, by Curlin

Last 3 Beyers: 97-96-94

◗ He enters off a third-place finish in the $73,000 Thanksgiving Handicap on Nov. 24 at Fair Grounds. Union Jackson dueled for the lead until the late stages and finished 2 1/2 lengths back in the six-furlong race, which went in 1:09.23.

“He ran a good race, he really did,” Asmussen said. “They ran a really fast time. I thought it was a good race off the bench.”

◗ The Thanksgiving Handicap was Union Jackson’s first start since June, when he finished third by a half-length in the Grade 3 Aristides at Churchill Downs in his stakes debut.

◗ Iram Diego has the mount on Union Jackson.

Bravura, by Early Flyer

Last 3 Beyers: 74-81-66

◗ He won back-to-back restricted stakes last year at Sam Houston, taking the Groovy and Jim’s Orbit for 3-year-olds to lock up horse of the meet honors. He enters off a sixth-place finish in a Nov. 5 allowance at Delta Downs. The start was his first since the Jim’s Orbit last February.

“He’s got one race off a layoff, which he needed,” trainer Bret Calhoun said of the start at Delta. “He’s coming into this race very well. Obviously, he was very good as a young horse. Now we’ll see what he is against older horses. I have no reason to believe he won’t be as good this year.”

◗ Deshawn Parker has the mount for breeder-owner Victoria Ashford.