Cassatt Back to Defend Houston Ladies Title

The 2015 season was a brief one for Fox Hill Farm's Cassatt, who raced sixth in the Santa Margarita Stakes (gr. I) in March at Santa Anita Park and then went to the sidelines until an October Keeneland allowance return.

Treated for a suspensory issue and osselets at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, the 5-year-old daughter of Tapit   returned to run fifth in that Keeneland event, clearly needing the race. But she came back a second time off the layup to post a gate-to-wire victory in the Dec. 13 She's All In Handicap at Remington Park for trainer Larry Jones.

Her connections are hoping for a similar result in defense of her title in the $400,000 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes (gr. III) Jan. 30 at Sam Houston Race Park.  

"Larry's really happy with her; he thinks she's training better than she ever has. A lot of it had to do with giving her time off with that injury," owner Rick Porter said. "She had a good work yesterday (five furlongs in 1:00 flat breezing at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots) prepping for the Houston Ladies, which I got upgraded to a grade III."

Porter's tongue-in-cheek comment over the race's new graded status for 2016 has merit; he combined with Jones to win the inagural running in 2013 with Joyful Victory, and Cassatt added her class as well in 2015. Between the two, multiple grade III winner Rose to Gold took the 2014 edition of the 1 1/16-mile event, billed as "the richest race in Texas."

"She is finally settling down, and acts like she might be sitting on a good year," Jones said. "Joyful Victory was her best as a 5-year-old, and this mare, also by Tapit, seems like she is following a similar path."

"Larry's tickled pink with the way she's training," Porter said. "She had a bad year (last year), parts of it, and she needed a race coming back. But she's all good now. The good thing is there's no speed in the race and we've got Geroux; Larry's very confident."

Charles Fipke's Unbridled Forever is the 3-1 favorite off her Nov. 28 Comely (gr. III) score at Aqueduct Racetrack. The 4-year-old daughter of Unbridled's Song, out of 2006 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) winner Lemons Forever, came from off the pace to win that 1 1/8-mile event by a head, making just her second start for trainer Dallas Stewart since an 11th in the Longines Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs in May. Joel Rosario has the mount from the rail aboard the 121-pound co-highweight.

"She's training very well," Stewart said. "She's always been an honest filly and we got two good works in her this week. We look forward to Saturday and are pleased we were able to get Joel; he's a pretty great rider."

Cali Star, a 5-year-old Street Cry mare who won the Rampart (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park, ships from Florida for trainer Martin Wolfson to shoulder the other 121-pound assignment. She will make her 19th lifetime start for owners Ben Walden and Larry Taylor. Her rider Tyler Gaffalione was recently honored with the Eclipse Award for outstanding apprentice jockey.

"She's on her way," said co-owner Walden. "We give all the credit to Marty for developing our filly into a real, legitimate stakes winner. She's a sound, magnificent looking filly and we are very happy Tyler will make the trip to Houston to ride."

"She did a lot of her running on synthetic, but we decided to give her a try on the dirt," explained Casse. "We were very pleased with her effort in the Falls City. Her Pippin (at Oaklawn Park) was very good as well; she was hung wide on both turn, but still ran second."

Joe Bravo will ride Theogony, as well as John B. Connally Turf Cup (gr. IIIT) probable favorite Kaigun, also a Casse trainee.