Tic It To The Dance, under jockey Froylan Ramirez, winning the $54,250 Leon Bard Memorial Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park Saturday.

© Coady Photography

HOUSTON, TX – JUNE 3, 2023 – Stakes action continued on Saturday night at Sam Houston with the $54,250 Leon Bard Memorial Stakes, one of two memorial stakes honoring longtime Texas horsemen on the night of the feature race of the Quarter Horse meet, the $461,835 Sam Houston Futurity.

Tic It to the Dance ($5.60) waltzed home to his first career stakes win on Saturday and jockey Froylan Ramirez earned his second stakes win of the night. Together, the pair covered the 350-yard distance in :17.708 for a 98 speed index.

The memorial was restricted to 3-year-old Texas-breds, earnings preferred. Tic It to the Dance’s lifetime earnings now total $105,929, including the winner’s share of $32,550.

Post-time favorite Tic It to the Dance is a talented gelded son of Mr Jess Perry, trained by Oscar Constancio, Jr. for owner Joe Ruiz, Jr. The race was also the first stakes win for Ruiz as an owner.

"He ran in trials last year, but never qualified," owner Ruiz, Jr. said. "He ran in this year's Sam Houston Derby but did not do well. When they invited us to this stakes, I was happy, as this is my first win as an owner.  He’s a very professional horse and Froylan rode him well."

The winning connections of Tic It To The Dance accept the Leon Bard Memorial Stakes trophy Saturday at Sam Houston Race Park. © Coady Photography

Tic It to the Dance was bred by Bob and Jerry Gaston, out of Double Down Darling, by Fishers Dash.

In his previous race, Tic It to the Dance finished fifth in the Sam Houston Derby (G3). As a 2-year-old, he was second in the Sam Houston Juvenile and qualified to the Dash for Cash Futurity (G2) at Lone Star.

Eagle Powers finished a neck behind the winner in second place for trainer Alvin Francis, Jr. and owner Gilbert Martinez, Jr; Luis Vivanco had the riding call.

A & D Racing bred the gelded son of This Is An Eagle out of Df Girly Girl, by Pappasito.

Eagle Powers won the TQHA Sale Juvenile Stakes last summer and qualified to the Sam Houston Derby (G3) in May. He is three for eight with $56,762 earned.

Eagle Powers’ stablemate, Brock Landers, completed the trifecta under jockey Ali Rivera. The Alvin Francis, Jr. trainee is owned by Heavy Hitters Racing Stables. Tyler and Naia Graham bred the son of FDD Dynasty out of Ms Highmaitenance, by Favorite Cartel.

Brock Landers was fourth in the TQHA Sale Futurity (RG2) last summer at Retama and has earned $43,142 in his career.

Completing the field were Symbolic, Phreedom, Leaving On a Eagle, One Loves Cartel and Hes No Average Bear. Zooming for Muddy was scratched.

The stake was named in honor of Texas horseman Leon Bard, who passed away in 2022. Among Bard’s stakes wins as a trainer were the 2017 Sam Houston Futurity (G2) and the 2002 Ruidoso Futurity (G1). Bard’s daughters Shelly Burnett and Caryl Merchant presented the trophy to the winning connections.