Trainer Mike Maker never met a turf marathon horse he didn’t like. Or so it would seem. “We have an abundance of turf marathoners,” he said. Maker has three such representatives in Sunday’s renewal of the Grade 3, $200,000 John B. Connally Turf Cup at Sam Houston Race Park. He’s won the 1 1/2-mile fixture a record seven times, and has leading contenders again this year in Patriot Drive, Marzo, and Bemma’s Boy. Maker entered a fourth horse, Cross Border, but he will not run after a second-place finish in the W.L. McKnight on Saturday at Gulfstream Park. The Connally Cup is part of the Houston Racing Festival, a program of six stakes worth a total of $950,000. The card includes the Grade 3, $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic and the $200,000 Texas Turf Mile, a new addition for 3-year-olds that drew Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf runner-up Billy Batts. First post for the 10-race card is 1:20 pm. Central. Maker’s crew in the 12-horse Connally will be challenged by Dot Matrix, who comes off a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Red Smith at Aqueduct; Tracksmith, winner of the Woodchopper last out at Fair Grounds; and Sleepy Eyes Todd, who makes his turf debut off a victory in the Jeffrey Hawk Memorial at Remington Park. Patriot Drive will break from post 3 under Colby Hernandez. He’s testing the marathon waters on Sunday. “He’s a horse that I’ve always wanted to try, and I felt this would be a good place to do it,” Maker said. “He relaxes very well and always seems to be running at the end and not having enough ground.” Patriot Drive races for Eccentric Club Racing. Marzo will start from post 7 under Corey Lanerie. Back in October he won at 1 1/2 miles in the Grade 3 Sycamore at Keeneland. Marzo put up a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 96. “He ran a dynamite race for us at Keeneland,” said Maker, who trains the horse for Three Diamonds Farm. Marzo enters off a seventh-place finish in the Fort Larned. “We needed more of an off-the-pace setup for him last time,” Maker said. “He kind of forced the issue. I don’t think that’s his best race. I’d rather see him come from off the pace.” Bemma’s Boy starts from post 12 under Tyler Gaffalione. He is making his first start since finishing fourth, beaten less than a length, in the Grade 3 River City Handicap over 1 1/8 miles on turf Nov. 16 at Churchill Downs. “He ran a super race,” Maker said. “It was a little bit of a wide trip. I felt with a ground-saving trip the outcome might have been a little different.” Maker also will be active in the Texas Turf Mile, sending out three starters, including the Louisiana-bred Chimney Rock. In his only start at two turns, Chimney Rock finished ninth in a 1 1/16-mile maiden race last summer at Saratoga. He ran second in the Grade 2 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Santa Anita, the $200,000 Indian Summer at 5 1/2 furlongs at Keeneland, and the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Turf Sprint. “We kind of threw out the only race he’s had at two turns,” Maker said. “It was at Saratoga and he had a throat issue that day. He deserves the chance to try it again.” Corey Lanerie has the mount from post 7 for Three Diamonds Farm. “I think he’ll adapt to whatever the pace is,” Maker said of Chimney Rock. “He can force it, or sit off it if need be.” Maker also saddles Field Pass, the runner-up in the Grade 3 With Anticipation last year at Saratoga, and Toma Todo, a maiden winner on turf at Churchill. The field of 12 in the Texas Mile also includes Pixelate and Jack and Noah, both stakes winners last out at Aqueduct. Maker has an additional stakes starter on the card in Pete’s Play Call. He goes in the $75,000 Stonerside Sprint over six furlongs on the main track. He enters off a win in the $75,000 Bonapaw at Fair Grounds. The race was moved from turf to a sloppy main track and it wound up being the first stakes victory for the recent claim. “I was thinking I hope it rains every time he runs,” said Maker, who has given the mount to Tyler Gaffalione. The field also includes Zia Park Derby winner Mr Money Bags. The millionaire Richard’s Boy returns to stakes company for the $100,000 Frontier Utilities Turf Sprint, while Dream Passage will be shooting for her fourth straight win when she starts in the $75,000 Jersey Lilly.