(October 10, 2004)- Trainer C.W. "Bubba" Cascio, a top 10 conditioner at Lone Star Park the past two seasons, said his stable star Gold Storm remains on track for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Sprint following a game runner-up effort in Friday's Phoenix Breeders' Cup Stakes at Keeneland.

"We're going for it if we can get in," Cascio said, referring to the possibility that an oversubscribed field could keep Gold Storm out of the race if he didn't qualify through graded stakes points or a nod from the Racing Directors/Secretaries Panel.

Gold Storm pressed a quick early pace resulting in fractions of :21 for the opening quarter-mile and :43 4/5 for the half-mile. Gold Storm led into the stretch before Champali jumped up to score by a length.

"It was good, seeing as he never got a break," Cascio said of Gold Storm's all-out effort in a six-furlong race that went in 1:08 3/5.

Cascio reported that the 4-year-old colt "burned through three bandages" in the race but that "we've been putting some ointment on him and he'll be fine."

The Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships will be run in Texas for the first time Oct. 30 at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie.

POKERFACED FAVORED IN THURSDAY'S FEATURE

Pokerfaced, a three-time winner at Monmouth Park this summer, is the 2-1 morning line favorite for Thursday's feature race, a $27,000 allowance with a $40,000 claiming option for older females on turf. The one-mile contest highlights the first night of Week 3 as Lone Star Park's Fall Breeders' Cup Meeting closes in on Oct. 30 and the $14 million, eight-race World Thoroughbred Championships.

The weekend's marquee event is the $50,000 Wild Flower Stakes, a five-furlong turf sprint for older females on Saturday. A large field of some of the region's fastest mares is taking shape, including six-time stakes winner Leslie's Love, Kentucky-based invader Anna Em and multiple stakes winners Nicole's Dream and Big Score.

Thursday's feature has some fast females of its own. Four-year-old filly Pokerfaced will replicate the success she had in New Jersey this summer when she scooped up $35,000 claiming events for trainer John Servis.

Current trainer Gammy Vazquez dropped a claim slip for Pokerfaced in her last start, a second-place finish for a $32,000 tag. Vazquez, who trains for the nation's leading owner Michael Gill, has a solid record (17%) with horses making their first start off the claim. In addition, Vazquez is finding Lone Star to his liking with two wins and a pair of seconds (10-2-2-0) through one-third of his first season in Grand Prairie.

Pokerfaced will shorten up to one mile with jockey Jeremy Beasley in the irons for the first time.
The 3-1 second choice is 3-year-old filly Sapphires N Halos, who broke her maiden over this course in May for trainer Donnie K. Von Hemel. The daughter of Southern Halo has run well in allowance spots at Lone Star, Louisiana Downs and Remington Park and fits well in this claiming spot.

Sapphires N Halos will be ridden by Don Pettinger.
Another dangerous 3-year-old is Dancinasfastasican, 4-1 on the morning line, a winner of consecutive races in Grand Prairie this summer for trainer Steve Asmussen. The daughter of Royal Academy closed from the rear of a 10-horse field to earn fourth in last month's Lyrique Handicap at Louisiana Downs.

Two live contenders ran most recently in the Fiesta Mile at Retama Park. Leo's Baroness, a 4-year-old filly trained by Steven Akin, finished third by a half-length despite what the Equibase comment termed a "brutal trip." Claudia's Agenda, a 3-year-old filly trained by Lynn Sullivan, finished sixth after leading for most of the one-mile race.

LESLIE'S LOVE PROBABLE FOR SATURDAY'S WILD FLOWER

Leslie's Love, the remarkably consistent 7-year-old mare with 22 wins and 38 top-three finishes from 55 starts, is among the early probables for Saturday's $50,000 Wild Flower Stakes, a five-furlong turf dash for older females at Lone Star Park.

The Louisiana-bred is two for seven at Lone Star, including a win in the 2002 Miller Lite Stakes, and has never finished outside the top three in Grand Prairie. Leslie's Love finished second as the favorite in this year's off-the-turf Miller Lite. She's currently riding a two-race win streak after victories in the Hallowed Dreams at Louisiana Downs and a Retama Park allowance.

Also among the early probables, provided by Lone Star stakes coordinator Michael Shamburg, are Anna Em, a Churchill Downs and Thistledown stakes winner trained by Tom Amoss; Nicole's Dream, winner of the Mamzelle Handicap at Churchill Downs; and Big Score, a multiple stakes winner coming off a long layoff for trainer Steve Asmussen.

More early probables for the Wild Flower: Full Time Dancer, Gowithfate, Mesa Beauty, Our Mariah, Princess Edwina, Queen of Mecca, Read Me My Rights, Royal Liverpool, Runs Naked, Sea Bloom, Seneca Song and Timeless Dancer.

DID YOU KNOW?

Lone Star Park's plan for hosting the Breeders' Cup calls for between 1,200 and 1,300 wagering devices to be in service Oct. 30, about one machine for every 40 customers.

DOWN THE STRETCH

Proud Accolade could vie for favoritism in the Juvenile after a half-length win over Afleet Alex in Saturday's Grade I Champagne at Belmont Park. The top three from the Champagne, also including close-up third Sun King, are considering starts in the Juvenile...Consolidator earned a trip to the Juvenile with a two-length score in the Grade I Breeders' Futurity for trainer D. Wayne Lukas at Keeneland...Balletto appears headed to Texas after a three-quarters length win over Ready's Gal in the Grade I Frizette at Belmont Park...Nothing to Lose became the third Breeders' Cup probable for owner Ken Ramsey following a win in the Grade I Shadwell Mile at Keeneland...Musical Chimes could appear in one of three Breeders' Cup races - the Distaff, Filly & Mare Turf or Mile, after a game win against males in the Grade II Oak Tree Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita. Third-place finisher Singletary will try the Mile...Three-year-old Artie Schiller, winner of the Jamaica Handicap at Belmont Park, is heading to the Mile, according to trainer Jimmy Jerkens... Prix Jacques Le Marois winner Whipper has been confirmed for the Mile, according to a report in The Racing Post. "Everything has been perfect with Whipper since he ran in the Moulin and the plane is booked for Texas," said trainer Robert Collet's wife, Micheline Collet. "He is in perfect shape and Christophe Soumillon will ride him. I know Whipper likes give in the ground but if we didn't think he would act on quicker going we wouldn't be taking him." The Marois was also at one mile on turf...Jockey Jamie Theriot was suspended 10 calendar days, Oct. 11-17, by the Texas Racing Commission Stewards for "allowing his mount (My Misty Princess) to interfere with another horse" in the $100,000 Yellow Rose Stakes on Sunday, Oct. 3. The suspension does not apply to stakes races...Johnny Lovett will provide the entertainment at Friday night's Heineken "Party at the Park" in the Courtyard of Champions Tent.