Sweet Idea
-photo by Jack Coady/Coady Photography

(December 16, 2006) - Sweet Idea returned to the winner’s circle tonight in the $25,000 Space City Stakes. The 3-year-old filly has won each of her five starts at the northwest Houston racetrack and did not disappoint her supporters this evening as she drew off by 5 ½ lengths under rider Quincy Hamilton, completing the seven furlong stakes in a final time of 1:23.89.

Owned by Barnett Stables LLC and trained by Bret Calhoun, Sweet Idea won three races here last meet including the $40,000 Sam Houston Oaks last March. She returned to action on December 2, capturing the $75,000 Martanza Stakes on Texas Champions Day.

“She sure is a game filly,” said Hamilton, who won the riding title here for the past two years. “She breaks sharp and settled in nicely behind a decent pace. She was patient, as I was and we got to the outside of the early pacesetters and she was very game.”

“This filly really seems to like Sam Houston Race Park,” said Jay Severs, who runs the Houston barn for Calhoun. “This was her second race back off a layoff and this was a good win for her. Seven furlongs can be a tough distance; the filly handled it well. The further she goes, the better, but we weren’t afraid of sending her out for seven furlongs.”

Barbette was making just the fourth start of her career this evening for trainer Danny Pish and her first attempt on the main track. The daughter of High Yield won a one-mile turf maiden special weight on November 10 at Remington Park and ran an excellent race tonight. She closed well under rider Don Simington to finish a neck in front of Olmosta, who is conditioned by Andy Konkoly.

“She ran really good,” acknowledged Simington. “They told me they were keeping an eye on her, because she’s done everything they’ve asked of her. First time on the dirt, she handled everything perfect and responded big when I asked her. She sat right behind them where I wanted her to be, and when I called on her she finished real strong. That was a pretty nice race.”

Sweet Idea ($2.80) won $15,000 for tonight’s effort and will most likely remain at Sam Houston Race Park, according to Severs. Victory Bride, Love My Place, Crypto Note, Dancing Delilah and Catch Me Rowdy completed the order of finish.

Live racing continues Sunday, December 17 at 5:00 p.m. The holiday racing schedule will shift to two nights of live racing for the next two weeks: Friday, December 22 and Saturday, December 23 as well as Friday, December 29 and Saturday, December 30