BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

SELMA, TX–JUNE 29, 2022–Graded stakes winners Special Apollitical and Shott Gun are scheduled to make their next starts in the 350-yard, $40,000 King William Stakes, one of four stakes scheduled for Retama Park on Saturday.

A 3-year-old son of world champion Apollitical Jess trained by Toby Keeton for owner Adam B. Smith, Special Apollitical will be making his first start against aged runners. The bay gelding is coming off of a half-length victory in the 350-yard, $255,000 Sam Houston Derby (G3) on May 20.

Special Apollitical drew post 3 and will be ridden by Luis Vivanco.

Shott Gun will be shortening in distance off of his head victory in the 400-yard, $50,000 Miss Polly Classic Stakes (G2) at Delta Downs on June 4. Heath Taylor trains the homebred 4-year-old Valiant Hero gelding for owner Bobby D. Cox.

Shott Gun drew post 4 and will be ridden by Gilbert Ortiz.

Also on Saturday, seven distance specialists are entered in the 870-yard, $40,000 San Marcos Stakes.

The Kings Horse, a homebred 6-year-old son of the Truely First Class stallion Class King trained by Tooter Jordan for owner Bullard Farms, drew post 7 and will be ridden by Claudio Aguilar. The gelding is coming off of a Sam Houston Race Park meet during which he scored a dominating 8 3/4-length victory in the 870-yard, $54,000 Governor's Cup Marathon Stakes on May 20.

Other San Marcos contenders include Sweater TLC, a sophomore son of The Louisiana Cartel who ships in from Delta Downs off of a clear nine-length victory in an 870-yard, $24,000 non-winners-of-two allowance on May 21, his first-ever start at the distance. Sweater TLC drew post 4 and will be ridden by Ali Rivera for owner and trainer Jorge Haddad.

Karina Soto's Chick Kisser heads a field of eight middle-distance specialists entered in Saturday's 550-yard, $40,000 Tower of the Americas Stakes.

A 4-year-old Kiss My Hocks gelding trained by Jailinne Venzor, Chick Kisser has won two of his three starts at the 550 trip, including a May 12, $22,000 non-winners-of-two allowance at Sam Houston Race Park on May 12. Chick Kisser drew post 6 and will be ridden by Nestor Duran.

A field of 10 distaffers are entered in Saturday's 350-yard, $40,000 Selma Stakes.

Patrick Richardson's Sheza Freighttrain T drew post 3 and will be ridden by Ali Rivera for trainer Jason Driver. A 4-year-old Freighttrain B mare, Sheza Freighttrain T has earned $36,996 from three races this season, and her season record includes a second-place finish, three-quarters of a length behind winner Relentlessly, in the April 16, 300-yard Bob Moore Memorial Stakes (G2) at Remington Park.

All Retama Park races can be seen at Q-Racing Video.com.