Texas' richest thoroughbred race attracts another quality field with Actress (Tapit) leading the way in this year's edition of the GIII Houston Ladies Classic Sunday at Sam Houston Race Park.
The 4-year-old gray broke her maiden in dramatic fashion, splashing through the sloppy Pimlico stretch to get up in time to score the GII Black Eyed Susan S. May 19. After finishing third in the GIII Delaware Oaks, the Gary and Mary West homebred finished fourth in the GI Alabama S. at Saratoga Aug. 19 and sixth in the GI Cotilion S. at Parx Sept. 23. She ended her 3-year-old campaign with a dominating 8 1/4-length romp in the GIII Comely S. at Aqueduct Nov. 24.
The main competition to Actress will break to the inside of her. Martini Glass (Kitalpha) just missed twice to grabbing the elusive graded stakes victory. The bay came up a length short in the GI Delaware H. July 15, settling for second behind champion Songbird (Medaglia d'Oro), in what was the final victory in her illustrious career, and was runner-up in the GI Spinster S. over the sloppy Keeneland main track Oct. 8. Off a two-month break, she captured the Claiming Crown Tiara S. on Gulfstream Park grass Dec. 2 before returning to that course last time out four weeks later to run second in the Via Borghese S. Dec. 30.
The other threat will be Valadorna (Curlin), who broke her maiden on her second attempt before running a narrow second behind champion Champagne Room in the 2016 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita. Her only other attempt in graded stakes company came in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. at her home base at Fair Grounds Feb. 25, where she finished third. She looks to make it three straight wins Sunday after scores against optional claiming foes Dec. 8 and in the Tiffany Lass S. Dec. 26.
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