GRAND PRAIRIE, TX—NOVEMBER 9, 2018—All American Derby(G1) winner Hotstepper held off a late charge from Curls Happy Wagon to win the Grade 1 $375,610 Texas Classic Derby Saturday night at Lone Star Park.

Hotstepper drifted in early but rallied down the inside rail under champion jockey Cody Jensen to complete the 440 yards in :21.614 seconds, a 94 speed index into a 5 mph headwind.

"He's always been a little bit of an over achiever," Jensen said following the win. "He may not be the fastest, but he gives you a chance to win and make a little money."

Trainer C. Dwayne Gilbreath saddled the son of leading sire One Famous Eagle to his second Grade 1 win of the season for the partnership of Johnny Cope, R.D. Hubbard, Rafter W Stables and Henry Southway.

"He's got some good owners and he's a great little horse," Gilbreath said. He's a moody horse in that gate and if you shake him up he might fight you back."

"He always has a little bit of trouble in the gates but when he stands out there good like tonight you always have a chance," Jensen added. "Usually when a horse has a rough two year old campaign it takes a toll on him as a three-year-old, but "Sleepy" and his crew do such a good job with him at their place. They kept him on the up and he's been a lot more mature mentally this year."

Bred in Texas by Fulton Quien Sabe Ranches LP, from the Tres Seis mare Pandorum, Hotstepper has compiled a (15) 6-2-5 record and used the $167,148 winners' purse to increase his earnings mark to $1,254,409.

In just her sixth career start, Curls Happy Wagon, finished second for owner/breeders Michael Pohl and Martin Stacy. Jorge Torres had the riding call for trainer Stacy Charette-Hill. The Pyc Paint Your Wagon filly was bred in Oklahoma from the Spit Curl Jess mare Eye A Spit Curl Girl.

After breaking her maiden and winning an allowance in two starts at 2, Curls Happy Wagon did not start again until winning her trial for the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby in Remington Park March. She finished a troubled sixth in the final. After two additional sixth-place efforts the filly came to Lone Star Park and posted the fastest qualifying time in the October 19th trials.

The royally-bred Hes Limitless finished half-a-length back picking up $41,317 for owner Jack Smith Farms. John Stinebaugh trains the multiple G1-placed son of leading living sire Corona Cartel from the champion Desirio daughter Pj Chick In Black.

Ridden by Agustin Silva, Hes Limitless has earned $480,927. He was second in the Grade 1 Rainbow Derby and 6th in the Grade 1 All America Derby at Ruidoso over the summer.

This Is A Deal, Dash For Stone, Df Aj Green Leaves, Intense Fire, Three Bar Cartel, Serendipity Rocks and Another Shot completed the field.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie, a Class I racetrack operated by Texas Partners LSP and Global Gaming LSP. The track's 16-day 2018 Quarter Horse Season opens Friday, September 21, and concludes on Saturday, November 10. Live racing will be held two days a week, Friday and Saturday at 6:05 p.m. For more information on Lone Star Park visit LoneStarPark.com or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

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Global Gaming Solutions, LLC (GGS), is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Chickasaw Nation with a primary business focus of pursuing entertainment, gaming and racing related opportunities in emerging jurisdictions in the United States and overseas as well as acquisition of regional gaming and entertainment assets. GGS LLC is the parent company of GG RP, which owns Remington Park in Oklahoma City, OK and GG LSP, which owns a significant stake in Lone Star Park. GG LSP is the track operator who owns the license to operate Lone Star Park and leases the property from the Grand Prairie Sports Facilities Development Corporation.