King Cause Invades Lone Star for Texas Turf Classic

The $300,000 Texas Turf Classic, one of four stakes races worth $150,000 or more at Lone Star Park June 24, lured out-of-state equine and human talent.

Three of the four morning-line favorites in the 1 1/8-mile grass race—Dean Martini  (9-2 odds), Tiberius Mercurius  (7-2), and King Cause  (5-2)—invade from across the country. Dean Martini comes by way of Southern California for trainer Peter Eurton, while Tiberius Mercurius and King Cause are sent south by trainer Mike Maker after racing in Kentucky and New York, respectively.

They will spar with a group of Texas-stabled runners, led by 3-1 Sunlit Song , a winner of five straight races, four in Texas-bred stakes company.

Nice Guy Stables' King Cause is a graded stakes winner, having won the Knickerbocker Stakes (G3T) last fall at Aqueduct Racetrack. Winless in four starts since, the 8-year-old Creative Cause   gelding comes off a sixth-place finish in the Fort Marcy Stakes (G3T) at Belmont Park May 6. Rene Diaz rides.

Three Diamonds Farm's Tiberius Mercurius brings sharp form into Saturday's race, having won two of his last four starts. He was a brave nose winner of an allowance optional claiming race at Churchill Downs May 11. Ricardo Santana Jr. is in from Kentucky for the mount.

A fight to the finish and TIBERIUS MERCURIUS comes out on top for @luissaezpty and Mike Maker!

1 1/8 Miles | 1:48.32 | Turf pic.twitter.com/pMgI38oidj

— Churchill Downs (@ChurchillDowns) May 11, 2023

David Bernsen's Dean Martini also comes off a victory, leading throughout in a second-level allowance optional claiming race at Santa Anita Park May 6. Tiago Pereira is aboard.