Wasted Tears streaks into Ouija Board

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Defeat a champion and get noticed.

That's what happened to Wasted Tears last month, when she shipped to Keeneland and won the Grade 2 Jenny Wiley over Forever

Together. The performance marked her as one of the nation's top turf females, and on Monday at her Lone Star Park base, Wasted Tears will be a strong favorite to win her sixth straight race in the Grade 3, $200,000 Ouija Board Distaff.

"She's been just a ball to be around," said Bart Evans, who bred, owns, and trains the front-running Wasted Tears.

The Ouija Board, a one-mile turf race for fillies and mares, is the richest offering for females on the Lone Star Million Day program of seven stakes. It goes as the fifth race on an 11-race card headed by the Lone Star Park Handicap. The Ouija Board drew a field of six, including Bubbler and Love to Tell, who between them have won nine stakes races.

But the horse to beat is Wasted Tears, who seized the Jenny Wiley by a determined half-length April 10. One start prior, she wired the field in the Grade 3 Honey Fox at a mile on turf at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 10.

"From her run against Forever Together at Keeneland to winning at Gulfstream after breaking out of the 13-hole, she's been something to watch," Evans said.

Wasted Tears, who set a course record in last year's Ouija Board when she won in 1:32.80, is 4 for 4 over the local turf. On Monday, she will break from post 5 under Cliff Berry.

Turf Cup: Return of El Gato Malo

El Gato Malo will make his first start since the Breeders' Cup in the $150,000 Dallas Turf Cup. The 1 1/16-mile race also drew Grade 3 winner Wise River and California invader Glowing Praise.

El Gato Malo, who won the Grade 3 Lone Star Derby in 2008, is making a rare turf appearance. He is 1 for 3 on the grass, with his win coming in a $100,000 optional claimer at 1 1/16 miles at Del Mar last September. For the effort, El Gato Malo equaled his best career Beyer Speed Figure, a 99.

"His numbers are good on both surfaces," said Craig Dollase, who trains El Gato Malo. "This is his first race back -- we had to start somewhere -- and this looked like a good spot. He's very versatile. This race came up. The timing was right."

El Gato Malo was eighth in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in his last start on Nov. 7. His return to action was delayed by a minor physical setback he had due to a "stall incident," Dollase said. El Gato Malo has been working lights-out at Hollywood Park, Dollase said.

"He's a fresh horse, and we're looking forward to strong campaign," said Dollase, who has given the mount to David Flores.

USA: Coyote Legend tries turf

Coyote Legend, who has won stakes in his last five starts, will make his turf debut in the $100,000 USA. The 1 1/16-mile stakes is for 3-year-olds. Coyote Legend had a chance to breeze on turf last week and covered a half-mile in 51.80 seconds at Lone Star.

"We thought he went across it very, very well," trainer Bret Calhoun said.

Coyote Legend's full brother Gold Coyote is a stakes winner on the grass. Bobby Walker Jr. has the mount Monday.

Baffert looks to double up in sprints

Trainer Bob Baffert has shipped in a pair of Southern California allowance winners for Monday's female sprint stakes. Bonnie Blue Flag, a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Diamondrella, goes in the $100,000 Cinemine. The seven-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies lured 13, including five-time stakes winner Tin Top Cat.

Mother Ruth, whose sire, Speightstown, won the Breeders' Cup Sprint at Lone Star in 2004, heads the $75,000 Valid Expectations for fillies and mares at six furlongs. Both horses are to be ridden by Martin

Garcia.

Baffert has been a regular participant in the Lone Star stakes program since the track opened in 1997. He has won 16 stakes here from 33 local stakes starters. His shippers to Lone Star have earned $2,607,436.

* Southern Vintage, who was second to Grade 3 winner Sing Baby Sing in a quick allowance here May 2, will get the chance to move back into the statebred ranks for the $50,000 Carter McGregor Jr. Memorial Sprint.