Ky-based Sugoi gives Maker ninth Connally win; Chasing Liberty takes Bork Mile

Sam Houston stakes recaps by Martha Claussen (Jack Coady photo above of Sugoi winning the John B. Connally Turf Cup under Stewart Elliott)

HOUSTON, TX – Two turf stakes at Sam Houston on the Houston Racing Festival card added to one trainer’s legacy and began a new legacy for another as Mike Maker won his ninth $200,000 John B. Connally Turf Cup and trainer Rob Atras repeated in the $100,000 Bob Bork Turf Mile. 

Sugoi Prevails Narrowly in the $200,000 John B. Connally Turf Cup

A 1 ½ mile race came down to the wire in a thrilling $200,000 John B. Connally Turf Cup as Sugoi defeated Verstappen by a nose in a photo finish.

Sugoi and Verstappen were locked in stride late in the stretch, but the 8-year-old son of Karakontie prevailed as trainer Mike Maker earned his ninth victory in the stake. 

Maker’s assistant, Patrick White, saddled Sugoi while the accomplished turf trainer was tending to his Pegasus World Cup runners at Gulfstream Park on Saturday afternoon. 

“When they came to the wire, I thought we were beat, but that’s not the first time he’s run a tight finish,” Maker admitted. “He still has more in the tank, so we will look for another race in Florida.”

“Winning my ninth Connally means a lot,” he added. “I have had some special horses and owners and owners take home the trophy. It’s a stakes I look forward to every year.”

Stewart Elliot rode the post-time favorite in the gelding’s first race at Sam Houston. 

“It looked like he would be laying up there close. I had plenty of horse; he dug in and gave me everything he had and ran super,” Elliot said of the win. 

Sugoi was never far off the lead as the veteran stalked the pace early and finished in 2:33.05.

Sugoi has been a Kentucky fixture for five seasons. After toiling in the claiming and allowance ranks for several years, Sugoi had a breakthrough year in 2024 when he won the Grade 3 Louisville Stakes at Churchill Downs. He is 11 for 32 with career earnings of $793,568. 

Owned by Paradise Farms Corp. and David Staudacher, Sugoi was bred in Kentucky by Normandy Farm, out of the Devil His Due mare Timeless Spirit. 

Verstappen was denied by a nose and placed second for owner and trainer Brendan Walsh with Declan Cannon up.

“He was game, he just got the wrong bob,” said Cannon after the race. 

The 6-year-old War Front gelding was bred in Kentucky by Frank Hutchinson and was a 2020 Keeneland Yearling Sale graduate to the tune of $325,000. 

Verstappen won the Grade 2 Elkhorn Stakes at Keeneland in 2023 and has multiple stakes and graded stakes placings in his career. He is 15 for 23 in the money with $734,414 in earnings. 

Ole Crazy Bone, Rock’n a Halo, Another Mystery, Johny’s Fireball, Ocelot, From the Heart, Out of Deductions, Wonderful Justice and Tiburon completed the field. 

The John B. Connally Turf Cup had its first running in 1995 and boasts a solid roster of past winners including Chorwon, Warleigh, Fort Prado, Rod and Staff, Swift Warrior  as well as three-time champions, Candid Glen and Bigger Picture.

 Chasing Liberty Repeats for Atras in the $100,000 Bob Bork Mile

New York-based trainer Rob Atras won his second straight $100,000 Bob Bork Texas Turf Mile, this time with Chasing Liberty ($2.80). 

Atras brought Neat to the winner’s circle in last year’s edition of the race, his first start at Sam Houston. Like Neat, Chasing Liberty is a 3-year-old son of Constitution. He was bred in Kentucky by his owners, Twin Creeks Racing Stables, out of their Declaration of War mare Peaceful.

Fellow New York staple Manny Franco was in the irons for the victory, marking the jockey’s first visit to Sam Houston. 

“The horse did everything right. He ended up on the lead, and he liked the turf course. I was happy with the way he was running,” said Franco. 

Atras’ wife, Brittney saddled the well-bred 3-year-old while Rob tended to his Aqueduct runners.

“I thought he ran a great race and Manny, who rides so well for our barn, handled the trip perfectly,” said Atras. We’ll see how he comes out of the Bob Bork Turf and look for another stakes in New York. The Grade 3, Transylvania Stakes (won by Neat Last year) in April at Keeneland, is a logical goal.”

Chasing Liberty made his fifth career start on Saturday at his fifth different track. He won his debut at Ellis Park and then captured Kentucky Downs’ $1 million National Thoroughbred League Juvenile when moved up from second upon first-place finisher Under Who’s Radar for interference. His only defeat was a fourth-place finish in Keeneland’s Indian Summer. The multiple stakes winner’s most recent start was a win in the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes at Del Mar on Breeders’ Cup weekend, but the break between races was not a concern for the connections.  

“He hadn’t run for a couple of months, but he was sharp,” said Randy Gullatt, managing partner  of Twin Creeks Racing. “This sets him up for a lot of big races in the future.”

Neat used his 2024 Bob Bork Stakes win as a springboard to win three graded stakes during his 3-year-old campaign. 

With four wins from five starts, Chasing Liberty has earned $827,301 in his career to date. The post-time favorite covered the mile on the turf course in 1:38.96.

Curahee, with Ben Curtis in the irons, finished a head behind in second place for trainer Brittany Russell and owner DARRS, Inc. The War of Will gelding was bred by Lothenbach Stables, out of the Blame mare Blameitonthemusic. 

Veronica Litfin’s Perry County was third, followed by Trevaggio, Brooklyn Alley Cat, Roustabout, Gunny Highway and My Wife Is Right.

The Bob Bork Texas Turf Mile is named in honor of the late president of Sam Houston Race Park. His sons, Dan and Michael Bork as well as his daughter, Dina, were in Houston to make the trophy presentation. Dan Bork is Ellis Park’s racing secretary and Churchill Downs’ assistant racing secretary.

Asmussen-trained Recharge pays $86.60 to win G3 Houston Ladies Classic

While it was not surprising to see Hall of famer Steve Asmussen win another edition of the Grade 3, $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic, the race provided plenty of excitement as 42-1 shot Recharge pulled the upset by a neck over post-time favorite Alpine Princess.

The Hall of Fame trainer has won six editions of the Houston Ladies Classic, including each of the last three years. 

In this year’s exciting rendition, Recharge and jockey Ben Curtis dueled with Hoosier Philly for the lead for most of the race before Alpine Princess surged late to trigger a photo for the win. The final time for the 1 1/16 mile race on the main track was 1:45.53.

One of three entries from the Asmussen barn, Recharge ($86.60) was 20-1 on the morning line and went off at 42-1 in the field of nine fillies and mares. 

Owned and bred by Winchell Thoroughbreds, Recharge is from the family that produced multiple graded-stakes winners Tapiture and Finite. The filly is by the Winchell co-owned Horse of the Year Gunner and out of Remit, the breeding operation’s stakes-winning daughter of Tapit.

“She ran a beautiful race,” said Asmussen. “She really stepped up and is now six for eight in her lifetime. So much credit goes to Winchell Thoroughbreds for her truly amazing pedigree. I couldn’t have been happier with Ben Curtis’ ride; he is a true professional and rode her confidently.”