Stay Hot won a 1 1/8-mile stakes in his first start since December on Saturday when he came back against Komorebino Omoide in the stretch for a half-length win in the $250,000 Texas Turf Classic at Lone Star Park.
It was another three-quarters of a length back in third to Ocelot.
The race was one of four open-company stakes making up the annual Summer Turf Festival.
Stay Hot ($6.20) was in from Southern California, where he last raced Dec. 26 and was second in the Grade 2 Mathis Mile. He moved to the lead at the start of the Texas Turf Classic, controlling the pace through fractions of 24.38 seconds for the opening quarter, 48.51 for the half-mile and 1:12.05 for six furlongs. Komorebino Omoide raced in close pursuit in second and took the lead at one point in the stretch drive, but Stay Hot came back along the rail and covered the distance on firm ground in a quick 1:46.58.
“I tried to save all I could,” winning rider Mike Smith said in an interview conducted by Lone Star. “I knew that he was a fighter.”
Smith went on to compliment trainer Peter Eurton for having Stay Hot ready for a top stakes performance off a more-than-six-month layoff Saturday.
Stay Hot is a son of Summer Front who races for the partnership of Exline-Border Racing and the Estate of Brereton C. Jones. The Grade 3 winner, who was bred by Jones, is now 6 for 14 for earnings of $601,160.
Wasted Tears
Neom Beach completed a sweep of the meet’s two richest route races for fillies and mares when she held off Vibez by a neck in the $125,000 Wasted Tears. Last month, Neom Beach captured the $200,000 Ouija Board Distaff.
The Wasted Tears was a 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares and Neom Beach covered the distance in a quick 1:40.90. Keith Asmussen was aboard for his father, trainer Steve Asmussen.
Neom Beach ($4.80) tracked the pace from the rail, moved to the fore into the stretch, and quickened. The daughter of Omaha Beach has now won 5 of 18 starts for earnings of $662,490.
Course record set
Usually Wrong ($3.40) set a course record for five furlongs on turf when he won the $125,000 Grand Prairie Turf Sprint in 54.91 seconds. The previous mark of 54.97 was set six years ago, according to an announcement following the race Saturday.
Usually Wrong closed into fractions of 21.32 for the opening quarter and 43.58 for the half-mile and won by 1 3/4 lengths over High Front.
Ramon Vazquez was aboard the son of Lookin At Lucky for trainer Robertino Diodoro. Selman Shaby owns Usually Wrong, who is now 6 for 7.
*Miss Code West ($13.60) was a half-length winner over Banterra in the $125,000 Chicken Fried Stakes. She covered five furlongs on firm turf in 55.50 seconds. Floyd Wethey Jr. was aboard the daughter of Code West for Jeffry and Julie Puryer and trainer Kevin Scholl.
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