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The Marfa Lights, Duponte Return in Texas Classic Futurity Trials
The Marfa Lights will make his first start since finishing second in the Grade 1 All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs Labor Day.

© Dara Pearce / StallioneSearch
The Marfa Lights, Duponte Return in Texas Classic Futurity Trials

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

GRAND PRAIRIE, TX—OCTOBER 19, 2016—The Marfa Lights and Duponte are among the 119 juveniles entered in Saturday’s Texas Classic Futurity (G1) trials at Lone Star Park.

The 10 fastest qualifiers from Saturday’s 12 400-yard heats will meet in the $1-million Texas Classic Futurity final on November 12, closing night of Lone Star Park’s fall Quarter Horse meet.

The 3-5 morning-line favorite in the first trial, The Marfa Lights will be making his first start since September 25, when the One Famous Eagle colt finished second, a neck behind winner Imperial Eagle, in the 440-yard, $3-million All American Futurity (G1) at Ruidoso Downs. Jim Helzer trains The Marfa Lights for owners Michael and Beth Harper.

Larry Payne will ride The Marfa Lights on Saturday.

Duponte is trained by Josue Ponce for owners Homero and Kristen Ashley Parades and Bobby D. Cox, who also bred the multiple graded stakes winning son of American Runaway. The colt has banked $646,764 from seven outs, and his three wins include a three-quarter length victory in the 300-yard, $268,000 Harrah’s Entertainment Futurity (G3) at Louisiana Downs in March, and a one-length score in the 350-yard, $1.083-million Heritage Place Futurity (G1) at Remington Park on June 4.

Duponte drew post 6 and will be ridden by Manuel Gutierrez in the 11th trial.

Trainer Rick Robinson will send out Sweet Annie Gl, a multiple graded stakes placed One Sweet Jess gelding campaigned by the Garza Laurel Partnership LLC. Sweet Annie Gl ran second to Duponte in the Heritage Place Futurity and Coronas First Diva in the 300-yard, $440,000 Oklahoma Futurity (G3) at Remington Park in March.

Agustin Silva will ride Sweet Annie Gl from post 5 in the seventh trial.

Claudio Gonzalez’s Accountably drew post 6 and will be ridden by Yordanis Amaro for trainer Kelli Martin in the ninth heat. A gray son of American Runaway, the gelding will be stretching out in distance off of his three-quarter length win in the July 30, 350-yard Speedhorse Futurity (G2) at Fair Meadows at Tulsa.

Accountably’s nine opponents in the ninth trial include Jose J. Espinoza’s Platinum Fdd, a First Down Dash gelding conditioned by Adrian Huitron. Platinum Fdd has won his last three starts, including the Grade 2, $272,000 Firecracker Futurity at Delta Downs on July 2. The gelding will be ridden by Damian Martinez from post 10.

The Texas Classic Futurity trials, and all Lone Star Park races, can be seen at Q-RacingVideo.com.