Lone Star Park Launches Fall Meet Under The Lights With TPHBA Maiden Juvenile

Texas racing returns under the lights Friday evening as Lone Star Park opens its fall meet with a nine-race program highlighted by the $10,000-added TPHBA Maiden Juvenile.

The first post is scheduled for 6:05 p.m., kicking off an evening of Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa racing. The featured TPHBA Maiden Juvenile will be the third race on the card, bringing together eight 2-year-old maidens for a 300-yard dash at approximately 6:57 p.m. The event is open to Paint and Appaloosa foals born in 2024.

Catalina Scratch leads the field as the 6-5 morning-line favorite heading into the second start of her young career.

The filly debuted in the Colors of the Alamo Paint & Appaloosa Futurity Trials, finishing fourth behind Jvm Hot Victoria, who later captured the futurity final. Catalina Scratch broke with the field in her debut but failed to produce a late run.

Prior to that effort, she had shown promise in the mornings. Catalina Scratch recorded a 220-yard breeze, ranking fourth among 15 horses working at the distance that morning, giving her connections reason to expect improvement now that she has a race under her belt.

The daughter of Cat Scratch Dash is out of Eyes Truly, by Class King, and was bred in Texas by Orlando Gonzalez. She races for owner Melissa L. Dehoyos and trainer Oscar Nunez. Olvin J. Martinez will have the riding assignment from post four.

Experience could prove valuable for 5-2 second choice Trillion, who will break from the outside post eight.

The colt has already made five starts and finished on the board in four of them. He finished third in stakes company at Sam Houston before earning a spot in the Colors of the Alamo Paint & Appaloosa Futurity. Trillion crossed the wire fourth in that final before being elevated to third after a stewards' change of order.

With five races already behind him, Trillion brings the most seasoning among the leading contenders into Friday's feature. The outside draw could also give jockey Alejandro Medina an opportunity to keep the colt clear and make an uninterrupted run toward his first career victory.

Trillion is by Cartel Dragon and out of the Painted Turnpike mare Cl Painted Shadows. The Texas homebred races for Guerras Racing Stables and is trained by Gilberto Gonzalez.

The TPHBA Maiden Juvenile will spotlight some developing young Paint and Appaloosa talent early, but it is only part of an opening-night program designed to get the Lone Star Park fall season off to a fast start.

With nine races, a mix of Quarter Horses, Paints and Appaloosas, and the lights back on for another season of Texas racing, Friday night marks the start of a fresh fall campaign at Lone Star Park. The gates open at 6:05 p.m., and from there, the race toward another exciting Texas season is underway.

The races at Lone Star Park can be watched on Q-Racing Video.

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