Challenge


Cartels Fortune Wins Merial Texas Distaff Stakes
Jockey Patrick Watson rides Cartels Fortune to victory in the $28,080 Merial Distaff Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park Saturday.

© Sandra Beck / Coady Photography
Cartels Fortune Wins Merial Texas Distaff Stakes

HOUSTON, TX—MAY 2, 2015—Making her first start this season, Cartels Fortune rallied with a strong drive under jockey Patrick Watson to defeat Eye Agree by a neck in the $28,080 Sam Houston Merial Texas Distaff Stakes on Saturday. Million Dollar Kiss finished half-a-length back in the show position.

“She did everything right, like she always does,” said Watson. “She left the gates perfectly and finished strong.”

Saddled by trainer Roy Roberts, the Rodney J. Varret owned filly completed the 400 yards in :20.337 seconds, into a 10 mph headwind. The $12,917 winner's purse boosted her career record to (11) 7-2-1 with earnings of $119,750.

“We wanted to give her some time off at the end of the year,” said Roberts “We thought she would be strong tonight, and thank God, she was ready.”

The win also garners the filly a starting spot in the $125,000 Merial Distaff Challenge Championship(G1) during the Bank of America Challenge Championship night November 7 at Lone Star Park.

Jerry West bred the Carters Cartel 4-year-old in Louisiana from the First Down Jewel mare Jewels Fortune. Saturday's win was her fifth straight victory and first since winning the Evangeline Derby last December.

Racing for King Camden Running Horses, Inc., Eye Agree earned $5,616 for her second place effort. Leslie Padilla conditions the Mr Eye Opener out of Tiny First Effort, by First Down Dash. The Fast Lane Partnership bred the sorrel in Texas. The 4-year-old mare has earned $37,286.

Jerry Chapman's homebred Million Dollar Kiss was saddled by trainer Vickie Lea McIlvain and ridden by Alejandro Medina. A daughter of Jess Louisiana Blue from the Stoli mare Stoli Kiss, Million Dollar Kiss earned $2,808 to bring her earnings to total to nearly $70,000.

Paint Your Hips, Meduzza, Countin Gold, Sweet P, Lucky Star 123, Auntie Up and Dont Text That completed the field. Rock Princess was scratched.

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Sam Houston Race Park is Houston’s premier racing and entertainment facility, locatedjust 15 minutes from downtown Houston, and offers a variety of attractions including 16recently renovated luxury suites overlooking the race track, The Pavilion Centre, andaward-winning dining options at the Winner’s Circle Restaurant and Jockey Club. Formore information on upcoming shows, events and tickets, please visit www.shrp.com.