He Is The Risingstar, under jockey Jerry Lee Yoakum, winning the $15,000 Tower of the Americas Handicap at Retama Park on Saturday night.

© Coady Photography

SAN ANTONIO, TX—JULY 7, 2018— A specialist at the unique distance of 550 yards, He Is The Risingstar won the $15,000 Tower of the Americas Handicap at Retama on Saturday night. Final time for the stakes race was :27.055, with a 109 speed index.

He Is The Risingstar ($2.80) was heavily backed by bettors prior to the race, due in part to the gelding’s win in last year’s TQHA 550 Stakes (RG3) last summer at Retama.

The winning connections of He Is The Rising Star accept the Tower of the Americas Handicap stakes trophy on Saturday night at Retama Park. © Coady Photography

He Is The Risingstar and jockey Jerry Lee Yoakum finished just a neck in front of second-place finisher Dealmfast.

Now six years old, He Is The Risingstar has won ten of his 26 lifetime starts and earned $169,370 for trainer Tooter Jordan and owner Fulton Quien Sabe Ranches, LP.

He was bred in Texas by Mercy Hinklins Horse Farm; the Mr Jess Perry gelding is out of Meddlin Mischief, by Dash for Cash.

Leon Bard trainee Dealmfast completed the tight exacta with Jose Martinex aboard. Dealmfast is a 3-year-old gelded son of Dealagame, owned and bred by Twin Spires Farm, out of Takin Up the Ante, by Takin on the Cash.

The Tower of the Americas was the first stakes race for Dealmfast, who has only finished out of the money twice in seven lifetime starts and has never finished worse than fourth.

Last year’s defending champion of the Tower of the Americas, Grand Illusion, finished third, beaten half a length. Noe Villatoro rode the 6-year-old gelding for trainer Jimmy Padgett and owner Crown Racing.

Bred in Texas by Jerry Windham, Grand Illusion is out of Jess an Illusion, by Mr Jess Perry, and was sired by Shazoom.

Completing the field were Classified Bulls Eye, Love Ta Zoom, Th Thomas Leo, Rio Special Jr, Jrc Callas First and First Impulse. Th Maverick was scratched.