CL Texas Star Lives up to His Name in Round Up Final
- High Star Kennel’s young gun blasts home and takes Texas title -

View Download C L Texas Star 2007 Round Up Final Since the day he was named, it’s as though he was destined for glory. CL Texas Star, High Star Kennel’s two-year old male out of WW Time Warp and Deco Annette, earned the money and title on Saturday night, May 5, in Texas’ richest stakes race, the $20,000 Texas Round Up. Finishing second in points behind Bob’s Tuscola throughout the four qualifying rounds, Texas Star took an advantage as early as the postposition draw luncheon the Wednesday before the final race. He drew and eight-hole and trainer Fred Currid couldn’t have been happier, “When we drew second and saw that the one hole went first to Bob’s Tuscola, I wanted the eight-hole badly…when Heather (Currid) opened up the package and revealed the eight, I was ecstatic!” Although CL Texas Star is more of a rail runner, the eight-post put him away from the pack with a chance to rush the turn and get into position for a win. “The race laid out just as I hoped,” added Currid. “The two front-runners got out quickly and Star cleared the turn third right behind them…at that point I knew we had a good chance.” A good chance was all he needed and Star took advantage of it. SP’s Rags jumped out of the five-post and blasted to the first turn on top by one-length as the other early speedster, Shadows Bythebay chased him. Unfortunately, for the two, a problem was looming just behind them, CL Texas Star made a clean run to the turn and filed in right behind the two. With Texas Star’s closing speed, the race appeared all but over. As the front of the pack approached the far turn, Star made quick work of Shadows Bythebay and had his sights set on SP’s Rags, who was just over a length in front of him at the head of the stretch; however, on this night, Rags came to run and would give Texas Star all he had down the stretch. As the two approached the finish line, the Charles Lusco owned, CL Texas Star, proved to be just too much for SP’s Rags and caught the front runner a couple of strides in front of the line and opened up a one-length victory to take the Round Up title, running a 30.30 over the 550-yard course. A very happy Fred Currid and the rest of the crew from High Star Kennel accepted the trophy and $10,000 check presented by Sally Briggs, GGP’s General Manager and Diane Whiteley, the Executive Director of the Texas Greyhound Association in the Winner’s Circle. “This is the main event that a whole lot of Texas breeders and fans of the sport look forward to every year, and this year’s race lived up to the hype,” said Briggs. “CL Texas Star and the High Star Kennel are a class act and deserve the accolades.” A large crowd was on tap to see CL Texas Star become the fourteenth Annual Round Up Champion. The Texas bred champ paid $5.40 to win, and made the majority of the crowd happy for the second time on Saturday. Earlier in the afternoon, the same large crowd watched and wagered as Street Sense won the Kentucky Derby, simulcast from Churchill downs. Behind CL Texas Star, the rest of the field finished as follows: 2nd – SP’s Rags (1-length, 30.38), 3rd – C Ya Wild Fire (2- lengths, 30.46), 4th – Button Hole (3-lengths, 30.50), 5th – Dobbs Fairy (4-lengths, 30.57), 6th – Bob’s Wal (5-lengths, 30.63), 7th – Shadows Bythebay (6-lengths, 30.73), and 8th – Bob’s Tuscola (7-lengths, 30.79).

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