Zippit E holds off crowd in Lane's End

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Zippit E fought off a cavalry charge of rivals to win the fourth stakes of her career Saturday in the $50,000 Lane’s End Danny Shifflett Scholarship Stakes at Lone Star Park.

Zippit E won by a neck over Mighty Ferrari. It was another head back to Dagney in third, and another head back to Special Rockstar in fourth.

The Lane’s End, a 7 1/2-furlong race restricted to fillies and mare bred in Texas, complemented the annual meeting and awards banquet of the Texas Thoroughbred Association.

Zippit E ($6.20) moved to the lead from her rail post and proceeded to set fractions of 23.88 seconds for the opening quarter, 47.24 for the half-mile, and 1:10.48 for six furlongs. She went on to cover the distance on a track rated firm in 1:28.85.

“I got out there and got a very comfortable pace with her,” said Jamie Theriot, who was aboard the winner for trainer Bret Calhoun. “The more they came to her, the more she kept finding. She found more the last 50 yards.”

Wayne Sanders, who co-bred and co-owns Zippit E with Larry Hirsch, said in a post-race interview with Lone Star television host Dave Appleton that this will likely be the last season of racing for Zippit E. Earlier in the afternoon, she was honored as the Texas-bred champion older filly and mare for 2017.

Zippit E is a 5-year-old daughter of My Golden Song.

* Lone Star leading rider Richard Eramia on Sunday is scheduled to begin serving a seven-day suspension for a riding infraction, according to the stewards. The suspension stems from the fifth race June 1 at Lone Star.