Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie's $400,000 Lone Star Derby (gr. III) highlights the Dallas-Fort Worth area racetrack's 2008 spring Thoroughbred season, which will feature 32 stakes events worth more than $3.5-million. The 16-week meeting, which will include five Grade III events, will commence April 10 and will continue for 65 dates through July 27.
The 1 1/16-mile Lone Star Derby is worth $100,000 more than it was in 2007 and is scheduled for May 10. It joins the Lone Star Park Handicap (gr. III) as the richest race of the meet and comprises one of six programs that feature multiple stakes events.
The season's centerpiece is Lone Star Million Day - Texas' richest day of racing with stakes purses totaling $1.1 million - to be staged for the 10th consecutive year on Memorial Day, May 26.
Three graded stakes events top the holiday stakes parade, including the $400,000 Lone Star Park Handicap for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles; $200,000 Dallas Turf Cup Handicap (gr. III) and $200,000 Ouija Board Handicap (gr. IIIT). The $100,000 Valid Expectations Stakes, $100,000 USA Stakes and $100,000 Cinemine Stakes complete the lineup.
The latter, formerly known as the Stonerside Stakes, was renamed to honor the graded stakes-winning mare Cinemine, who earned $506,681 between 1997-2000. Owned by Nolan Creek Farm and trained by Larry Robideaux Jr., Cinemine was crowned Lone Star Park's Champion 3-year-old Female in 1998 and Champion Older Female in 2000. She also won five Lone Star Park stakes races - a local record shared by Mocha Express.
April 26 is Lone Star Million Preview Day with four stakes, topped by the, $300,000 Texas Mile Stakes (gr. III) for 3-year-olds and up at one mile, which serve as local preludes to the Lone Star Million.
Texas-breds and progeny of Texas stallions will be showcased July 12 in the eighth annual Stars of Texas Day. The stakes six-pack worth $500,000 includes the $100,000 Assault Stakes, which received a $25,000 purse hike for the 2008 renewal.
Lone Star Park's 2008 spring Thoroughbred meet will run four days a week every Thursday and Friday at 6:35 p.m. CT and Saturday and Sunday at 1:35 p.m. CT.
All told, Lone Star Park will host 96 live racing dates in 2008.
