Wealthy Texan, August Rain meet a fourth time in Ross McLeod Stakes

Three-year-olds will take center stage at Hastings for a Saturday stakes doubleheader comprised of the River Rock Casino for fillies and the open Ross McLeod. Both races are at 6 1/2 furlongs and have a purse of $50,000.

The Ross McLeod features a pair of 2023 stakes winners in Wealthy Texan, trained by Mel Snow, and August Rain, from the stable of Barbara Heads.

Wealthy Texan was an immediate success on the track, taking the rich Jack Diamond Futurity in his career debut in September 2023. Sent away at 12-1, the son of Texas Wildcatter was comfortably in front most of the way enroute to a 2 3/4-length score in the Hastings fixture for 2-year-olds.

The female family of Wealthy Texan has been in the Snow family for decades. Her third dam, Moving Contrast, was trained by Snow’s brother upon her 1989 debut, and later by Snow himself. Snow also had the dam and second dam as well.

“It’s a pretty special feeling to win like that with one you raised,” said Snow of the Jack Diamond win.

Wealthy Texan’s only loss in three races is the Ascot Graduation last October.

“He banged his stifle leaving the gate and it was bothering him,” Snow said.

The lightly raced runner was gutsy in his 2024 bow, downing allowance company by three-quarters of a length on May 31.

August Rain has been favored in all three of Wealthy Texan’s races. A son of Sungold, August Rain missed narrowly as the runner-up to Wealthy Texan on May 31. A three-time stakes winner at Hastings in 2023, August Rain may well be favored once again.

Diocles, trained by Pat Jarvis, and Vector, trained by Craig MacPherson, were each stakes-placed at Hastings last year. Diocles returned to the races with a neck win in a maiden race on May 11 while Vector was third in the allowance event won by Wealthy Texan in his 2024 bow.

The top Beyer Speed Figure in the Ross McLeod is a 79 earned by Moneyshot, a Larry Grieve trainee who earned the figure going a mile in the mud at Oaklawn Park on March 7.

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Others to reach the 70 Beyer plateau include Westminster, who finished first before being disqualified for interference when debuting in a maiden race June 1.

Newhart is another newcomer to the Hastings backstretch. He earned a 70 Beyer at Turfway Park winning his debut over a mile on March 8. Snow also trains Newhart, who is owned by Godolphin LLC.

The other starter in the Ross McLeod is Run Rudolf, who finished second to Westminster before inheriting the victory in the June 1 race.

The River Rock Casino has a field of six headed by Bakburner and Viva La Diva, who finished one-two, respectively, in a May 25 allowance run over a wet-fast track.

Viva La Diva, trained by Heads, gave her all on the front end before checking in third beaten 1 1/4 lengths in the Sadie Diamond Futurity in September. She later set the pace in the Fantasy Stakes at Hastings going 1 1/16 miles before retreating to third there as well.

Bakburner hails from the barn of Edgar Mendoza and will be making her third start of 2024.

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