Lydia’s Last Step Wins 2011 Season Opener at Lone Star Park
Richard W. Penn’s Lydia’s Last Step, trained by J.R. Caldwell, won the 15th running of the one-mile $50,000 Premiere Stakes in front of a crowd of 8,624, a 1.3 percent increase over the 8,512 that attended opening night at Lone Star Park in 2010.
With Bryan McNeil in the irons, the four-year-old bay son of Spanish Steps dictated the tempo on his own terms through fractions of 23.86, 47.78 and 1:12.67. A length in front at the top of the stretch, Lydia’s Last Step widened his margin through the lane before reporting home two and three quarter lengths in front of post-time favorite Coyote Legend. The final time of the race was 1:39.95.
"He shot out of the gate,” said winning rider Bryan McNeil. “He was pulling at me the whole way and when I let him go at the top of the stretch he was game to the finish."
Making his first start for Penn and Caldwell after being claimed for $25,000, Lydia’s Last Step earned $30,000 for his win in the Premiere to increase his lifetime earnings to $173,721. It was his sixth win from fifteen career starts.
Lydia’s Last Step paid $5.40, $2.80, $2.40, runner-up Coyote Legend returned $2.40, $2.10, and Mile Marker paid $3.20 for show. Baggy Cat, Cool Hand Val, Goosey Moose, Dusty Tunnel, and Phantom Road completed the order of finish.
Source: Lone Star Park
