Texas Turf ($250.000 Purse)
LS- For Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Eighth on the Turf
June 28, 2025

Prior to the Texas Turf, Manticore had struggled in two out of his three races, making bettors not have much faith in him, and trainer High Voltage hoping that his gelding can run the way he did in the FG Stakes back in February. On Saturday, he would get exactly what he wanted out of Manticore, as the six-year-old picked up the biggest win of his career. The key now will be for Manticore to do this consistently, and prior to this slump he really had been a consistent horse. It can certainly flip his momentum in the right direction! It’s the first win in the Texas Turf for both High Voltage and jockey D Van Dyke. Congratulations to them! The time of the win was 1:44.86, tying the second fastest in the race’s history. Let’s take a look at it now:

(½ Mile- :47.08)- Diablo Diablo’s State Cavier will lead the field onto the frontstretch and into the opening turn, carrying a length advantage after half a mile. Winned, making his debut for La Gloria Stable ran in second along the rail, and right beside him would be the eventual winner from High Voltage, Manticore. Right behind the two stalkers is Avenue Z’s Lantern Yard, and it’s a break of about three to the trainer, Were Wolf (Riggins Racing).

(3/4 Mile- 1:10.44)- Moving down the backstretch, State Cavier is still out in front, but Manticore is not going to wait until later to make his move. Approaching the turn, he would be starting to push forward leaving him a little less than a length back to his outside at the point. Winned would not make a similar move but was still in a stalking position. Lantern Yard would move to his outside, showing more interest as well and now a half-length to Winned’s outside. At the back, Were Wolf had the best seat in the house to view the action.

(Top of Stretch, 1.5F To Go)- With every stride in the Manticore gained slightly on State Cavier, pulling even about midway through and entering the stretch leading by half a length. While he was prevailing over State Cavier, he had a new concern in the form of Lantern Yard. That one had also been gaining and would be moved three wide by R E Eramia hoping to sweep by both of them as they raced to the wire. Winned was not able to keep up and was losing ground. Were Wolf had not made any sort of move.

(Finish- 1:44.86)- Down the stretch they come, with Manticore slowly creeping further away from State Cavier, but that one could still be in it with a second wind. Lantern Yard was coming, but it did not seem to be fast enough. At the wire, Manticore has just enough to left to go on and win by a neck over Lantern Yard, who ran out of time. State Cavier fought to be in the mix to the end but runs third. It’s a long way back to fourth place Winned, who beat only Were Wolf.

About The Winner- Manticore, trained by High Voltage and ridden to victory by D Van Dyke, is a six-year-old gelding by Extremo and is out of the late Queen Of Africa. He was bred in New York as a third quarter two-year-old by Acber Farms and was acquired by High Voltage for $20.000 in a February 2022 private sale. Congratulations to the connections! The win is his seventh in 32 starts, and his third stake win. His career earnings are now $622.460.

Track: Firm
Time: :47  1:10²  1:33²  1:44⁴

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 3 – 1 Paid 65.70
$1 Trifecta: 3 – 1 – 5 Paid 801.50

Scratched: None

Claimed:

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded