SILK MOUNTAIN GOES GATE TO FINISH IN
JOE B. TURNER MEMORIAL STAKES
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas (Friday, Nov. 22, 2009) – Joel Valeriano & Joel Valeriano, Jr.’s Silk Mountain broke sharply from the gate and never looked back in winning the 12th Running of the $15,000 Joe B. Turner Memorial Stakes, for 2-year-old fillies, over a fast track at Lone Star Park on Friday night.
Trained by Toby Keeton and ridden by Tad Leggett, Silk Mountain took the lead right out of the gate and outran his eight opponents to win by a half-a-length. The 2-year-old daughter of Panther Mountain covered the 400-yard distance in 19.826 seconds to earn a Speed Index of 95. Petey Wheat was second and it was another head back to Fast Prize Tracy in third.
With her first Lone Star Park win, Silk Mountain improved her record to two wins from eight starts and increased her career earnings to $31,903 with the $8,250 winner’s purse.
Silk Mountain paid $20.00, $11.80, $5.40, Petey Wheat returned $11.40, $4.60, and Fast Prize Tracy paid $3.40 for show. The Gucci Diamond, Jess Flying, Miss Timinator, Behold Those Eyes, Red Heels, Rhia La Jolla, and Downtown Diva completed the order of finish.
DIAMOND FOR JESS IMPRESSIVE WINNER IN
HIPPODROMO DE LAS AMERICAS STAKES
Dan W. Nicks’ Diamond for Jess, trained by Rick Robinson, was an impressive winner of the 9th Running of the $15,000 Hippodromo de las Americas Stakes, for two-year-old colts and geldings, over a fast track on Friday night at Lone Star Park.
With Luis Ramirez in the irons, Diamond for Jess got off to a good start before separating himself from the rest of the field and then holding off the late charge of second-place finisher Chick Jess Call Me on the outside, who could only get to within 1 ¼ lengths of the winner by the finish line. The 2-year-old Feature Mr Jess gelding ran the 400 yards in 19.449 seconds to earn a Speed Index of 105. It was another 1 ½ lengths back to Demonstrative in third.
With the victory, Diamond for Jess improved his record to three wins from eight starts and with the $8,250 winner’s share increased his lifetime earnings to $36,628.
Diamond for Jess paid $6.60, $4.00, $3.60, Chicks Jess Call Me returned $3.20, $2.40, and Demonstrative paid $4.20 to show. Rr Valentine Dasher, Ocean Fun, Executive Runner, Five Star Cartel, Titanic Hope, Speedy Gunzalez, and Hava Hasty Version completed the order of finish.
POINT OF DECEPTION BY A HEAD
IN RHEUDASIL HANDICAP
Point of Deception, owned and trained by Javier Noel Contreras, battled down the stretch with second-place finisher Mister Ww to win by a head in the 11th Running of the $15,000 Rheudasil Handicap, for three-year-olds and up, over a fast track at Lone Star Park on Friday night.
After breaking eighth in the field of 10, jockey Adalberto Candanosa guided Point of Deception to a strong finish and just prevailed at the wire. The 3-year-old Feature Mr. Jess gelding completed the 350 yards in 17.300 seconds to earn a Speed Index of 107. Miss Kips Streakin finished third only a neck behind Mister Ww.
With the win, the second for a Feature Mr Jess gelding in the three stakes run on Friday night, Point of Deception improved his lifetime record to five wins from 14 starts, including three of four at Lone Star Park. With the $8,250 winner’s share, he increased his career earnings to $59,412.
Point of Deception paid $8.40, $5.80, $3.60, Mister Ww returned $5.20, $3.00, and Miss Kips Streakin paid $2.80. Whirling Cleat, Executive Looks, Special Headlines, Vodka With Ice, Xo Kate, and Buduino completed the order of finish. Mr Jess Perrier stumbled at the start and lost his rider.
Lone Star Park’s 2009 Quarter Horse Fall Meeting of Champions concludes on Saturday, Nov. 28 when first post time will be 6:35 p.m. For more information on Lone Star Park visit LoneStarPark.com.