Valdez-Jiminez gets riding sweep in Texas Stallion Stakes
Jockey Ernesto Valdez-Jiminez swept both $75,000 divisions of the Texas Stallion Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park on Thursday, when he guided 2-5 favorite Pinky Ring Bling home in front in the My Dandy and upset the Darby’s Daughter with $58 winner Texas Thunder.
The races were restricted to the 3-year-old offspring of eligible stallions.
Pinky Ring Bling ($2.80) was prominent through fractions of 23.21 seconds for the opening quarter and 47.13 for the half-mile before finishing off 5 1/2 furlongs on a fast track in 1:05.67.
He won by 3 1/4 lengths over Grami’s Boy to give trainer Ronnie Cravens the first stakes victory of his career, which was launched in 2003 at Sam Houston. Lone Star Racing Club owns Pinky Ring Bling, who is a son of Too Much Bling.
Texas Thunder set fractions of 23.12 for the opening quarter and 46.92 for the half-mile before covering the distance in 1:05.46. She won by 5 1/2 lengths over 4-5 favorite Eagle Express.
Karen Jacks trains Texas Thunder for Carl Moore. Texas Thunder is a daughter of Bradester.
The card also featured a couple of allowances that figure to produce starters for Texas Champions Day at Sam Houston. Boerne ($8.20) defeated some notable Texas-bred fillies and mares when she won an allowance sprint by 5 3/4 lengths. She covered six furlongs in 1:10.26.
Singapore Flash ($13.80) was a half-length winner over 3-5 favorite Sunlit Song in another allowance featuring some top Texas-breds. Kenai Bob, in his first start since last summer, finished another three-quarters of a length back in third. Singapore Flash covered a mile on turf in 1:37.75.