Pauline's Pearl Lines Up in Houston Ladies Classic
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Photo: Coady Photography
Pauline's Pearl wins the 2021 Zia Park Oaks at Zia Park
Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen will try to saddle a third winner of the $400,000 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes (G3) Jan. 30 at Sam Houston Race Park, a race that has proved to be a launching pad for strong campaigns by leading distaffers. His charge Pauline's Pearl , a Stonestreet Stables homebred, leads a field of seven older fillies and mares in the 1 1/16-mile event.
"She's a very nice filly," Asmussen said of the 4-year-old Pauline's Pearl. "We have had success with both Midnight Bisou and Lady Apple in this race and look forward to running Pauline's Pearl for Stonestreet Stables."
Asmussen previously won the Houston Ladies Classic in 2019 with Midnight Bisou, who at the end of that year became the champion older dirt female, and in 2020 with Lady Apple, an earner of over $1 million.
In 2021 the Houston Ladies Classic was the first start of the year for Fausto Gutierrez-trained Letruska , who followed up with multiple grade 1 wins and is likely to receive the Eclipse Award for champion older dirt female.
Pauline's Pearl ended last season on top in the Nov. 23 Zia Park Oaks. The Tapit filly has won or placed in eight of 10 lifetime starts and also captured the 2021 Fantasy Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park. She is out of Hot Dixie Chick, a grade 1 winner trained by Asmussen, and a half sister to multiple stakes winner and stallion Union Jackson .
Joel Rosario has the call on Pauline's Pearl, the 6-5 morning-line favorite who will carry the highweight of 120 pounds, from post 3.
Shortleaf Stable's Arkansas homebred The Mary Rose will try for her first black-type victory in the Houston Ladies Classic after romping against open company Dec. 31 at Oaklawn. The 5-year-old Macho Uno mare drew off by 7 3/4 lengths in an allowance optional claimer going the same distance as Sunday's upcoming race, pulling off an 18-1 upset.
Early last year against state-breds, she won the Downthedustyroad Breeders' Stakes for trainer Brad Cox. She has been in the care of John Ortiz her last five starts, placing in three of those before her last-out win.
"The lightbulb turned on for me in her second race last August at Colonial Downs," Ortiz said of an off-the-turf, one-mile allowance optional claimer in which The Mary Rose was second beaten a neck. "She pretty much sprinted. I wanted to see what she did going two turns and she blew the doors off in her last race."
Reylu Gutierrez will ride The Mary Rose from the outside post. The mare will carry 118 pounds and is the 3-1 second choice on the morning line.
Lothenbach Stables' Audrey's Time also enters off a victory. The 5-year-old Uncle Mo mare rallied from last of five to capture the Dec. 27 Joseph E. Spanky Broussard Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. That effort followed a third-place finish in the Nov. 25 Falls City Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs. Corey Lanerie will be aboard for trainer Neil Pessin from post 2. Audrey's Time will also tote 118 pounds and is listed at 7-2.
Broussard Memorial third Velvet Crush , Becca's Rocket , Champagne Affair , and Golden Curl complete the field.
Sam Houston Race Park, Sunday, January 30, 2022, Race 7Entries: Houston Ladies Classic S. (G3)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Velvet Crush (KY)
Ry Eikleberry
116
Michael Stidham
8/1
2
2Audrey's Time (KY)
Corey J. Lanerie
118
Neil L. Pessin
7/2
3
3Pauline's Pearl (KY)
Joel Rosario
120
Steven M. Asmussen
6/5
4
4Becca's Rocket (KY)
Adam Beschizza
116
Scott Gelner
10/1
5
5Champagne Affair (KY)
Ernesto Valdez-Jiminez
118
Cesar Govea
30/1
6
6Golden Curl (KY)
Tyler Gaffalione
118
Shawn H. Davis
20/1
7
7The Mary Rose (AR)
Reylu Gutierrez
118
John Alexander Ortiz
3/1
