2017 Steve Sexton Mile Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - The G3 Steve Sexton Mile Stakes goes down this Sunday, May 7 at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas. Horses three years old and upward will be after the winner's portion of the $200,000 purse when they take to Lone Star's dirt track and race one mile.

A field of nine have been confirmed for the Steve Sexton Mile - race 8 on Lone Star's Sunday schedule. Post time is 5:56 PM. Here is a look into the past performances of all nine combatants for this G3 stakes.

2017 Steve Sexton Mile Stakes Entries at Lone Star Park

Mor Spirit 6-5 - Bob Baffert trained Ringling has 11 career starts with four wins and five second place finishes. He was last seen March 18 when he won the minor Essex Handicap at Oaklawn Park. That result followed an OK second in the G2 San Antonio Stakes at Santa Anita February 3, a fourth in the G1 Malibu Stakes here December 26 and a tenth in the 2016 Kentucky Derby. Before that were consecutive second place finishes - as favorite behind Exaggerator in the G1 Santa Anita Derby last April 9 and in the G2 San Felipe Stakes March 12 of last year. He also posted two great wins before that - the G3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes February 6 and in the G1 Los Alamitos Futurity with a 96 Beyer Speed Figure December 19, 2015 and also had a respectable second in the G2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs November 28, 2015 and a maiden score by 4 1/4 lengths at Santa Anita October 23 of that year. Mor Spirit has been good in his career so far and after a brief poor stretch looks to be back to form. He searches for his first graded stakes score in 14+ months Sunday when he leaves from gate 2 with Mike Smith in the saddle of the morning line favorite.

Iron Fist 9-2 - has 17 career starts for trainer Steve Asmussen with five wins, four seconds and a three third place finishes. Last time out was a respectable third in the G2 New Orleans Handicap at Fair Grounds April 1 which followed a nice win in the minor Maxxam Gold Cup at Sam Houston February 25, a fourth in the minor Louisiana Stakes January 21 and an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Churchill Downs in November. Before that was a sixth in the G2 Fayette Stakes at Keeneland in October and a second in the G3 Ack Ack Handicap at Churchill Downs October. In 2015 he also had a third in the G3 Native Diver Stakes, an Allowance Optional Claiming score November 1 and second in the G2 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx in September. Iron Fist has quietly placed in three of his last four starts overall and will be after his first stakes score from the rail. Iram Vargas Diego has been tabbed to ride the second betting choice.

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Shotgun Kowboy 5-1 - defending runner-up in this race was good after that performance. He went on to a second in the G3 Cornhusker Handicap at Prairie Meadows in July, another second in an Allowance at Remington Park in August and two Allowance Optional Claiming scores at Oaklawn Park to start 2017. Last time out was a bit of a step back however - a sixth in the minor Essex Handicap on that track March 18. He posted three consecutive impressive wins in the summer of 2015 including the G3 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park in September and the minor Oklahoma Classics Cup in October as well. Shotgun Kowboy now has eight wins, five seconds and a third place finish in 18 career starts - competitive virtually every time out and will leave from gate 6. Luis Quinonez gets the call on the morning line third choice.

Great Minds 6-1 - defending champion in this race has six wins (three of which came in succession at this time last year), five seconds and three third place finishes in 26 career starts. He arrives off a third in the minor Owners' Appreciation Day at Delta Downs March 11 after an Allowance Optional Claiming score on that track January 7, a sixth in the minor Tenacious Stakes at Fair Grounds in December and a second in the minor Delta Mile Stakes in November. Great Minds races in graded stakes company for just the second time hoping for his second win in top company when he leaves from gate 4 with Colby Hernandez guiding him.

American Dubai 6-1 - Rodney Richard trained colt has five wins, a second and two third place finishes in his 11 career starts. He enters on a nice four race win streak - the minor Sunland Park Handicap last time out April 16 and three Allowance Optional Claiming races on that track to start his year. He has placed in just one of four career graded stakes starts however - that came in his third start when he finished third in the G3 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park in February, 2016. American Dubai arrives in career-best form and will be after a first stakes score from the outside post 9. Ken Tohill will be in the saddle.

Texas Chrome 12-1 - JR Caldwell trained colt has been decent so far in his 15 race career - eight wins, a second and three third place finishes including wins in his first three career starts (two stakes). He enters in a bit of a slump however - a sixth last time out in the G2 Oaklawn Handicap April 15 followed a ninth in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. Before that was a nice three race win streak - The G3 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park September 25, the G3 Super Derby September 10 and the $100,000 minor Super Derby Prelude Stakes August 6. Before the streak was a good second in the G3 Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows July 1, a decent third in his graded stakes debut - the G3 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs June 18 and a win by an incredible 10 1/2 lengths in the minor Texas Stallion Stakes here last May. He also won the minor Governor's Cup Stakes at Zia Park in October. Texas Chrome was uber-competitive early on but needs a strong bounce back this week from gate 8. Ricardo Santana Jr. will be in the reins.

Carve 15-1 - defending third place finisher in this race had three straight wins in the summer of 2014 including the G3 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap. He also won the minor Fifth Season Stakes at Oaklawn Park in January, 2015. He has been up and down lately - a third last time out in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Oaklawn Park March 10 followed a second in a similar race on that track February 20, a fifth in the minor Louisiana Stakes at Fair Grounds in February and a sixth in the G3 Lone Star Park Handicap May 30 of last year. Carve shoots for his first win in 15 months and first graded stakes score in nearly three years when he leaves from post 3 Sunday. Richard Eramia gets the call.

U S Officer 30-1 - Danny Pish trained colt has placed in six of nine career starts - four wins and two third place finishes. Last time out was a nice win in the minor Rajin Cajun Stakes at Evangeline April 15 after a disappointing ninth in the G2 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds February 25, a third in the minor Remington Springboard Mile December 11 and consecutive wins - the best of which coming in the minor Clever Trevor Stakes at Remington Park in November. U S Officer has won three of his last five starts overall and will be after his first stakes score from post 7. Ernesto Valdez-Jiminez is scheduled to ride.

F J Uncle Vic 30-1 - Terry Eoff trained gelding has 43 career starts with five wins, seven seconds and three third place finishes. He finished eighth in this race on 2015 and has been inconsistent since. He enters on the heels of consecutive fourth place finishes - the minor Premiere Stakes on this track April 20 and the minor Star of Texas Stakes at Sam Houston March 14. Before that was a fifth and a third in a pair of Allowance Optional Claiming races at Delta Downs this past winter, a seventh in the minor Texas Horse Racing Hall of Fame Stakes at Retama Park October 29 and an Allowance Optional Claiming score on that track October 7. He won the 2016 Star of Texas Stakes as well. F J Uncle Vic tries for his first ever graded stakes score Sunday when he departs from post 5 with Sasha Risenhoover in the irons.

2017 Steve Sexton Mile Stakes Odds & Entries

Race 8 on Lone Star Park's Sunday card with a Post Time of 7:17 PM.