China's Dragonlady might be best of these fillies

POST TIME 6:35 p.m.Star-Telegram horse racing writer Gary West highlights his picks for today's races. Odds are provided by Lone Star Park, with program number, post position (where different), jockey, trainer and weight. The thoroughbred racing season continues through July 27.

NINTH RACE China's Dragonlady sold for $200,000 last year, and she won by nine lengths in September, and so she's in the right spot in today's featured race, which appears to be, regardless of whatever else the conditions might say, for promising 3-year-old fillies.

It's for fillies such as Smiling. Her résumé consists of a win and a runner-up finish in two starts, and she had an eye-popping workout here April 14, going half a mile in 47.20 seconds, which was seven lengths faster than any other horse at the distance that morning. Silver Tiger won her last outing by six lengths, and Aronia won her debut here opening weekend.

But China's Dragonlady could be the most promising of the group. She hasn't raced since that nine-length victory at Remington Park, but she worked sharply here 10 days ago. Coming out of the gate and into a strong wind, she went five furlongs in 1:01, suggesting she's ready for a good effort when she makes her 3-year-old debut tonight.

SIXTH RACE This race is scheduled for a mile on the turf. But Thursday's turf races were moved to the main track, and with the weather handicappers putting rain at odds-on in the morning line, there's a good chance today's turf races could move as well.

And that would only enhance the chances of Nine M.M. The front-running filly has won on the turf, and the Lone Star course has been playing kindly to horses with her running style. She has finished first or second in all her two-turn races, on dirt or turf. Either way, she'll be formidable.

She won her most recent outing, on the main track at Sam Houston, by 12 lengths. And she again should be able to control the pace, making her key for multi-horse investments with Plan Nine, Rice 'N Spice, Wild Encounter and Private Aftanoon.

EIGHTH RACE Tortuga Flats has won six of her seven turf races, her only loss a runner-up finish in the Matchmaker Stakes at Louisiana Downs. If today's race remains on the grass, Tortuga Flats is clearly the one to beat.

But if the race moves to the main track and Tortuga Flats stays in the barn, this becomes a wide-open affair. And Margie Marie becomes intriguing. She won her most recent outing at Oaklawn Park, dueling through rapid fractions before drawing clear in the final furlong. That could happen here, with Temperamental Miss supplying the only pace pressure and Margie Marie proving best in the stretch.

TODAY AT LONE STAR PARK

1st 6:35 p.m. $8,000, Claiming $10,000, 3-year-olds and up, 5 1/2 furlongs!,

No.	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Wt.	Odds
1	Ski Steamboat	R Eramia	R Fitzpatrick	122	15-1
2	Haystrang	J Guzman	R Rangel	122	6-1
3	Sharp Move	L Quinonez	S Asmussen	116	5-1
4	Mail Route	E Tejera	R Schultz	116	20-1
5	Warpathslineoffire	F Rodriguez	B Jenkins	122	15-1
6	Touch of the Irish	T Collier	J Caldwell	122	4-1
7	El Mojo	Q Hamilton	C Dodson	122	7-2
8	Echo's Revenge	L Taylor	W Bragg	122	12-1
9	Stormin Tab	K Purcell	J Bustamante	111	30-1
10	Unload	J Shepherd	J Bruner	122	8-1
11	Jett City	E Martin Jr.	M Nicks	116	8-1
12	Ask for Anything	J Chacaltana	M Davidson	111	30-1

2nd 7:03 p.m. $12,500, Maiden Claiming $30,000, 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds, 7 furlongs

No.	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Wt.	Odds
1	Mandate Maker	M Berry	W Calhoun	116	8-5
2	Open Sam Forum	A Ramos	J Castellanos	122	30-1
3	Olympic Flyer	Q Hamilton	J Petalino	116	10-1
4	Lunarpeal	L Quinonez	S Asmussen	116	2-1
5	Kinetic Spirit	G Murphy	A Milligan	116	8-1
6	La Bala	L Taylor	D Keen	122	8-1
7	Royal Destiny	D Pettinger	D Von Hemel	122	6-1

3rd 7:31 p.m. $12,500, Maiden Claiming $30,000, 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds, mile

No.	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Wt.	Odds
1	Sunibisquit	I Arellano	R Green	117	30-1
2	Gray Summer	J Chacaltana	J Bilbrey	117	6-1
3	Tuckers Buddy	L Quinonez	S Asmussen	116	7-5
4	Aka Scatmantoo	J Figueroa	M Stewart	116	15-1
5	Imagine a Cat	A Ramos	J Castellanos	116	20-1
6	Krew's Coming Thru	K Purcell	R Grimes	111	30-1
7	Gordo Vitin	G Murphy	T Edison	116	20-1
8	About Itron	F Rodriguez	P Lopez	116	12-1
9	Air Traffic	M Fretz	L Sullivan	116	30-1
10	Expect More	J Guzman	J Kearl	116	9-5

4th 7:59 p.m. $21,000, Claiming $30,000, 3-year-olds, fillies, 7 1/2 furlongs, turf

No.	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Wt.	Odds
1	New Blue	M Escobar	J Locke	122	6-1
1a	Apalachee Way	E Tejera	J Locke	116	6-1
2	Macho Mon	J Shepherd	M Willis	116	10-1
3	Perus Queen	B Walker Jr.	R Mayfield	116	10-1
4	Miss Krisie Whiz	L Quinonez	S Asmussen	116	10-1
5	Dynamic Cowgirl	Q Hamilton	D Pish	116	3-1
6	Sugar Soup	M Berry	D Von Hemel	116	5-1
7	Axis of Evil	G Murphy	D Pish	116	12-1
8	Ginny's Pig	R Eramia	C Hartman	116	2-1

5th 8:27 p.m. $7,000, Claiming $4,000, 4-year-olds and up, fillies and mares, mile

No.	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Wt.	Odds
1	Must Be a Topper	M Berry	C Autrey	116	6-5
1a	Rocka My Baby	A Lovato	C Autrey	116	6-5
2	Sly Devil	E Tejera	B Morris	116	8-1
2	Susies Cameo Girl	R Eramia	M Davidson	119	6-1
3	Verde Run	F Rodriguez	C Bailey	116	30-1
4	Sultry Mountain	B Morales	J Ray	116	30-1
5	Hurry Lacey Hurry	J Shepherd	D Lind	116	20-1
6	Chromedoll	L Quinonez	S Asmussen	116	8-5

6th 8:55 p.m. $29,000, AOC $45,000, 4-year-olds and up, fillies and mares, mile, turf

No.	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Wt.	Odds
1	Silver Britches	J Guzman	L Lebrun	116	20-1
2	Plan Nine	Q Hamilton	J Offolter	116	9-2
3	Wild Encounter	R Eramia	M Lovell	116	5-1
4	Nine M. M.	L Taylor	G Northrop Jr.	122	8-5
5	Oswego	G Murphy	L Wilson	116	12-1
6	Private Aftanoon	L Quinonez	S Asmussen	119	10-1
7	Rice 'n Spice	J Shepherd	M Willis	119	5-2
8	Cotton Pickin'girl	K Purcell	R Grimes	111	30-1

7th 9:23 p.m. $11,500, Maiden Claiming $25,000, 2-year-olds, 4 1/2 furlongs

No.	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Wt.	Odds
1	Early Rockin	M Berry	W Calhoun	118	2-1
2	Many Many Winds	C Itschner	C Asmussen	118	10-1
3	Pike City Pete	M Escobar	D Fronterhouse	118	30-1
4	Hostile	B Morales	L Dixon	118	15-1
5	Frosty Doc	B McNeil	J Willis	118	30-1
6	What R U Thinking	Q Hamilton	D Pish	118	5-1
7	Heber Valley	T McNeil	C Asmussen	118	3-1
8	Sunny Expects	E Tejera	C Bronstad	118	20-1
9	Comingfrombehind	G Murphy	M Davidson	118	8-1
10	Tummy Tickle	J Chacaltana	B McBride	113	9-2

8th 9:51 p.m. $34,000, Allowance, 4-year-olds and up, fillies and mares, 5 furlongs, turf

No.	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Wt.	Odds
1	Holy Hazaam	M Escobar	J Locke	120	7-2
1a	Katys Gold Touch	R Eramia	J Locke	120	7-2
2	Amarula	J Shepherd	M Willis	120	8-1
3	Tortuga Flats	B Walker Jr.	R Irwin	120	9-5
4	Temperamental Miss	M Berry	P Simpson	120	6-1
5	Starry Pie	L Quinonez	C Trout	120	8-1
6	Margie Marie	E Martin Jr.	J Lara	120	12-1
7	Midsummer Magic	D Pettinger	D Von Hemel	120	3-1

9th 10:19 p.m. $25,000, Allowance, 3-year-olds, fillies, 6 furlongs!,

No.	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Wt.	Odds
1	Smiling	G Murphy	M Stidham	118	2-1
2	Silver Tiger	Q Hamilton	D Pish	120	20-1
3	Superior Thief	A Lovato	M Davidson	118	20-1
4	Aronia	L Taylor	C Bronstad	118	8-1
5	Bank Star	R Eramia	S Barker	120	5-1
6	Issheademon	J Figueroa	M Davidson	118	20-1
7	China's Dragonlady	M Berry	W Calhoun	118	9-5
8	Emma Z	L Quinonez	S Asmussen	118	6-1

10th 10:47 p.m. $8,000, Maiden Claiming $10,000, 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds, fillies and mares, mile

No.	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Wt.	Odds
1	The Wind's Gift	T McNeil	C Asmussen	116	3-1
2	Chez Kitty	B McNeil	J Garren	122	30-1
3	Spill the Wine	M Berry	A Milligan	116	8-1
4	Proudest Girl	E Martin Jr.	J Lara	122	10-1
5	Pine Derby	R Eramia	J Locke	116	5-1
6	Faith in Van	J Chacaltana	B McBride	111	6-1
7	Talk Wild	F Rodriguez	J Johnston	122	20-1
8	Sue Can Do	G Murphy	J Duhon	122	30-1
9	Smiling Time	K Purcell	A Dupuy	111	20-1
10	Justlikemywife	L Quinonez	P Adams	122	30-1
11	Jaunty Air	Q Hamilton	D Pish	116	5-2