Texas Futurity Selections for July 10

A handful of black-type races will highlight a strong 11-race card at Lone Star Park on Saturday. Two of the stakes events will highlight two-year-old runners, and that will be my focus for this piece.

Race 9 -- Texas Futurity (Fillies)

Nine fillies will run 5 1/2 furlongs in the initial two-year-old event. #6 Its a Gee Thing (3-1) has been sharp in two prior tries and gets top billing for Danny Pish, who has four entered in the cast. The daughter of Early Flyer was professional on debut when winning over the oval, and she finished second to a fine winner next time out in the stakes ranks on the course, finishing more than eight lengths clear of the third-place finisher.

The chestnut miss has shown the ability to pass horses in both lifetime engagements, and her versatility gives her the edge in this affair. Regular pilot Danny Sorenson will be in the stirrups.

Race 10 -- Texas Futurity (Colts and Geldings)

A big field of a dozen will dash 5 1/2 panels in a good betting contest. #6 Tengo Mis Papeles (2-1) was a dominant winner at first asking when going postward at 3-10 and looms large, but I will try to beat the son of My Golden Song. A pair of horses at big prices interest me most.

#1 Sparky Hale (20-1) will have to overcome a lot debuting in a stakes race while drawing the rail in a huge field, but I expect the Asmussen pupil to come out running as soon as the gates open. The chestnut son of solid first-out sire Jimmy Creed was a $30,000 yearling purchase bred to win early, and I love the aggressive placement for his debut.

#9 Dare to Fail (12-1) broke slowest before making a big middle move into contention late, only to tire to third in a sneaky-good debut offering for Gustafson. The $100,000 More Than Ready colt took some money in that initial performance, and the dark bay should have a lot of pace to run at late at a square number.