Lone Star Park Distance Championship Stakes

Fresh off a second-place finish in the $118,975 Q-Racing Video Distance Challenge Championship (G1) on October 18 at The Downs at Albuquerque, GJR Rooster was back in his home state to win the $50,000 Lone Star Park Distance Championship Stakes (G3). The Texas-bred gelding by This Is An Eagle drew clear to a decisive 4 ¾-length win as the 1-5 favorite and clocked 870 yards in :45.820 for a 95 speed index. Francisco Calderon rode for trainer Zackary Stinebaugh.

Owned by Richard Young, Joe David Yates and Stinebaugh, GJR Rooster now has a record of 19-4-7-3 with earnings of $152,479. This was his second career stakes win after taking the $56,000 Benny Pennington Memorial Stakes (RG2) at Retama Park. Gerald Rich bred GJR Rooster out of the A Little Illegal mare Granny Grump. 

Byron Gardner’s homebred Eye Will Decide, a gelding by Majestic Cartel, got up for second and nearly pushed his bankroll over the $200,000 mark. Noe Villatoro rode for trainer Adan Guzman. Thrill And Fury, by Mister Fulton, took third for owner Ubaldo Fuentes Jr.

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