O Donavan Rossa, ridden by Bryan Candanosa, wins the $50,000 Devil His Due Stakes at Lone Star Park Saturday night by 1 1/4-lengths.

© Dustin Orona Photography

GRANDE PRAIRIE, TEXAS–NOVEMBER 26, 2022–Piloted by Bryan Candanosa, O Donovan Rossa scores his third stakes victory in his four-year-old campaign in the $50,000 Devil His Due Stakes at Lone Star Park Saturday night.

O Donovan Rossa drew the eight hole of the 870-yard stakes and busted from the gates under Candanosa in seventh place, pulling up to third by first call. The duo chased Ghost Bear and Shockinglyfamous through the second stretch taking it out wide around the turn to ultimately cross the finish line first by 1 1/4-lengths ahead of Heza Classy Now.

Heza Classy Now, ridden by Benito Baca, broke from the gates in fifth. But it wasn’t until he reached the turn that the gelding dueled for the win against O Donovan Rossa willingly taking second 1 3/4-lengths over Ghost Bear and his rider Gaspar Garcia.

With 6-5 odds at the start of the race O Donovan Rossa’s victory paid $6.40 for the win on a $2.00 wager. The son of world champion sire Apollitical Jess clocked a 102 speed index in :45.298 seconds.

O Donovan Rosa has seven career wins, including the Walter Merrick Stakes and SLM Big Daddy Stakes Stakes (G3) won earlier this year. The $30,000 winner’s share of the purse upped the Oklahoma bred gelding’s lifetime earnings to $159,290. Dee Keener saddled O Donovan Rossa for breeder J. Garvan Kelly, who is also his owner in partnership with Loyd Yother. 

O Donovan Rossa is a full brother to 2022 Golden State Million Futurity (G1) & Ed Burke Million Futurity (G1) winner Party Politics. He is out of multiple stakes producer and winner Shanachee by Country Chicks Man.

Conditioned by Toby Keeton, runner-up Heza Classy Now has lit the board 12 of 19 starts with 5 wins and $118,181 in the bank. The stakes winning son of Rock Solid Jess is bred and owned by Bob & Sissie McClure. The four-year-old New Mexico-bred gelding is out of She Classy Now by Now I Know.

Third place finisher Ghost Bear is trained by Rubio Esteban. The son of Phantom Menace has three career wins with $80,829 in earnings, including a victory in the 2021 Sam Houston 550 Stakes. 

Bred by Sandra Garnett of Texas, Ghost Bear is owned by Sarah Huskey. The five-year-old gelding is out of Loose Play (TB) by Intimidator. 

The remaining order of finish is Shockinglyfamous, Hi High Hopes, The Kings Horse, Jax Louisiana Game and Dak.

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About Lone Star Park
Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie; A major league sports entertainment attraction that features two exciting racing seasons annually. Over 700,000 guests visit our beautiful facility each year, which features a seven-level glass-enclosed Grandstand, highlighted by our 1,200-seat Silks Dining Room and our 48 luxurious Penthouse Suites, all overlooking the newest race track in Texas. Situated next to our Grandstand is the 36,000 square foot world-class Las Vegas-style Racebook and simulcast facility, Bar & Book, which features wagering on horse racing from around the world 7-days a week year-round.

Lone Star Park is located on Beltline Road, just ½ mile north of I-30 in Grand Prairie, Texas. Visit LoneStarPark.com for more information