5 Abr. USA. John B. Connally Turf H. G3. Sam Houston Park. 9f. Turf. 200.000 $
1.- SCRAPPY ROO (P.Nolan)
2.- GOING BALLISTIC (M.Berry)
3.- EIGHTENNTHOFMARCH (R.Prescott)


Scrappy Roo held off a determined late bid from Grade 2 winner Going Ballistic to extend his winning streak to five with a victory in the $168,500 John B. Connally Turf Handicap (G3) on Saturday at Sam Houston Race Park.

The five-year-old Roo Art gelding entered off a win in the Tomball Stakes at Sam Houston on February 23 and made his graded stakes debut in the Connally. Scrappy Roo, who was raced for claiming prices ranging from $15,000 to $25,000 last season, handled the step up in class for trainer John Locke and owner Tawana Cantrell.

Scrappy Roo went to the lead under jockey Paul Nolan with Grade 1 winner Student Council attending the pace through leisurely fractions of :25.51, :50.56, and 1:15.20 in the 1 1/8-mile turf race.

Less than two lengths separated the top seven contenders approaching the eighth pole. Student Council faded in midstretch as 2007 Super Derby (G2) winner Going Ballistic found his best stride and Eighteenthofmarch split foes and surged into contention.

Scrappy Roo dug in gamely to hold off Going Ballistic by a head, with Eighteenthofmarch another neck back in third. Student Council faded to finish seventh as the 8-to-5 favorite.

Sent off at 6.40-to-1, Scrappy Roo completed 1 1/8 miles on firm turf in 1:51.65 and nearly doubled his career earnings to $183,280 with the $90,000 winner’s share. The Connally was the first graded stakes victory for both Locke and Nolan.

Bred in Texas by David Taylor, Scrappy Roo improved to eight wins in 15 career starts. He is one of three stakes winners produced by the King Lyph mare Dance’s Lyph.