Owner Doug Scharbauer and trainer Bret Calhoun will send out the capable duo of Dust Em and Stone Cafe in Saturday night’s $75,000 My Dandy division of the Texas Stallion Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park. The 5 1/2-furlong race for 3-year-olds by eligible stallions is one of two stakes on the card. The companion race is the $75,000 Darby’s Daughter for 3-year-old fillies. The Clarence Scharbauer Texas Stallion Stakes series, held throughout the year at tracks in Texas, is named in honor of Scharbauer’s late father. Doug Scharbauer also is the breeder of both Dust Em, who is by Too Much Bling, and Stone Cafe, by Stonesider. The horses race as individual interests, and Dust Em figures to go favored over seven others. He has won his last two starts, with his latest coming in an entry-level allowance over open company Dec. 18 at Remington Park. The race was his first in about five months. Dust Em earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 71, which is the best career number in the My Dandy. “I thought it was a really good race the other day off the layoff,” Calhoun said. “I thought it was a pretty good group of horses. He exceeded our expectations. The horse had trained very well for his comeback, but that was a really big step up off a long layoff.” :: Start earning weekly cashback on your wagering today. Click to learn more. Calhoun said the decision was made to give Dust Em time off following his Aug. 4 maiden win at Lone Star Park. “He’s a horse that’s made a lot of improvement maturity-wise,” Calhoun said. “From the time we stopped on the horse to bringing him back, I just think the time did the horse well. Physically, he grew up quite a bit and made all the right changes he needed.” Calhoun said the break was timed with an eye toward stakes opportunities for the Texas-bred at the horse’s home tracks of Sam Houston and Lone Star Park. “We knew all this was ahead of us,” Calhoun said. “We knew we had a really good program to run at in Texas. We decided to turn the horse out, let him mature, and luckily Mr. Scharbauer was rewarded for his patience.” Ry Eikleberry has the mount from post 4. Stone Cafe was fourth behind Dust Em in the allowance last out at Remington. “I keep looking for Stone Cafe to have a breakout race,” Calhoun said. “The horse is pretty solid, pretty consistent. I think he will fit very well in there. “He’s another horse that I think is benefiting from getting a little older, growing up.” Lindey Wade has the mount from post 6. The Darby’s Daughter matches stakes winners Star of the North and Great Affection. Star of the North won the Northern Lights Debutante in her last start Sept. 9 at Canterbury. Eikleberry has the mount on the daughter of The Hunk, who is a half-sister to stakes winner Always Inthe Munny. Great Affection won the Pan Zareta division of the Texas Stallion Stakes last July at Lone Star Park. Lane Luzzi will be aboard from post 3. The card Saturday also includes an allowance that drew top Texas-bred turf runners Redatory and Sunlit Song. The program comes on the eve of the Houston Racing Festival, when Sam Houston puts on six stakes, including the Grade 3 Houston Ladies Classic and Grade 3 Connally Turf Cup. The Sunday card that starts at 1:45 p.m. Central.