Daddy's Kid, Cassatt Head Sam Houston Stakes

In a race devoid of graded stakes horses, Big Lick Farm’s Daddy's Kid could be the class play as he takes on eight opponents in the $200,00 John B. Connally Turf Cup (gr. IIIT) the night of Jan. 24 at Sam Houston Race Park.

Daddy's Kid's class edge comes from a close second-place finish, beaten a half-length by Ring Weekend, in last October’s Hill Prince Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Belmont Park.



A $35,000 claim in December 2013, the son of Scat Daddy   has won three of his past six starts and is coming off a fast-closing fifth, beaten only 3 1/4 lengths, in the Tropical Park Derby at Gulfstream Park Dec. 20.



Trained by Reid Nagle, Daddy’s Kid will break from post 6 at 6-1 odds on the morning line, and is to be ridden for the first time by Forest Boyce.

 

The remainder of the field in the nine-furlong grass test consists of minor stakes horses and allowance/optional claimers.

The 3-1 early favorite is Bim Bam, who drew the far outside post for trainer Ron Moquett and owners Ella Lou Smith and Chuck Hagaman. The 8-year-old son of Deputy Wild Cat comes off a season in which he won three of eigth starts with two placings. He posted back-to-back listed stakes vctories last summer in the Independence Day at Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort and the Edward J. Debartolo Memorial Handicap at Remington Park.

Deshawn Parker takes the call on Bim Bam, making his first start since finishing fifth in a solid turf allowance heat at one mile Nov. 16 at Churchill Downs.



Coalport, owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey and trained by Mike Maker, has the most impressive credentials of the others, coming off a victory in the Bucks Boy Handicap at Hawthorne Racecourse for Illinois-breds last November. The son of Kitten's Joy   also finished first in the Unbridled Stakes at Louisiana Downs two races back, only to be disqualified and placed second.



The horse placed first, Benwill, trained by Scott Tubbs, also is in the Connally field. In addition, the Louisiana-bred son of Leestown has a pair of stakes victories at Evangeline Downs to his credit.

 

Fleet Mitchy, a $12,5000 claim who has never run in a stakes, comes into the Connally riding a three-race winning streak, capturing an allowance race on dirt at Remington Park in his last start.

The Connally is race 7 on the Saturday night card with an 8:56 p.m. CST schedule post.



Immediately following is the listed $400,000 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes, which drew a solid field of eight fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on the main track. The lineup includes Fox Hill Farms’ Cassatt, winner of the Monmouth Oaks (gr. III), Zia Park Oaks, and Tiffany Lass Stakes. The 4-year-old daughter of Tapit  , trained by Larry Jones, also finished fifth behind champion Untapable in the grade I Cotillion Stakes at Parx Racing. She drew the far outside post and is listed at 6-1 on the early line.

Jones also will saddle Susan Knoll’s graded stakes-placed Blue Violet, winner of last year’s Lady Secret Stakes at Monmouth Park.



Also in with a good chance are the Tom Amoss-trained Kiss to Remember, coming off a victory in the Pago Hop Stakes at Fair Grounds, and the multiple stakes-winning Angelica Zapata, who has won 11 of her 31 career starts for earnings of $572,245.

Multiple graded winner Rose to Gold has been off the board in four starts since winning last year's Houston Ladies' Classic in a slight upset. The 5-2 morning line favorite makes her third start following an eight-month layoff for trainer Sal Santoro.