Since it opened in 1997 Lone Star has become well known for concerts by the Beach Boys and Willie Nelson as well as downhome treats like the fishing contest which rejoices in the name of the Crappie Marathon. But what it isn't known for is staging world class racing.
Problems with the turf and a bias towards front runners persist, yet Steve Andersen of America's Daily Racing Form feels the absent Brits are missing a golden opportunity.
"America's turf horses are very vulnerable and there's nothing for Europe to fear at Lone Star," he said.
"Yes, it's tight and you don't want to wait until the stretch to make your move, but it was the same at Santa Anita last year and the Europeans ran the table with wins for Six Perfections, Islington and High Chaparral."
Andersen feels America's best chance of keeping the three turf races at home could lie in the Mile.
He added: "Kitten's Joy is clearly our best prospect for the Turf. Light Jig is the only American who impresses me in the Filly & Mare, but our best chances probably come in the dirt races.
"Roman Ruler looks like he could be something special in the Juvenile and Richard Mandella is reacting to Pleasantly Perfect's training for the Classic in ways I have never seen from him before.
"Those two will be favourite, but Our New Recruit will be longer odds for the Sprint and he looks a good win and place bet having come in under the radar since he won in Dubai in the spring."
Success is the mother of expectation and, following eight Breeders' Cup wins in three years, the days when team Europe crossed the Atlantic expecting to play second fiddle are long gone.
But where will the 2004 flagbearers emerge from?
Ouija Board is being primed for either the Filly & Mare or the Turf and is plainly the main British hope after her gallant Arc third.
Six Perfections and Whipper will do battle for France in the Mile. O'Brien's Powerscourt should go well in the Turf, while the show will play to a sell-out crowd of 51,000 housed largely in the temporary grandstands last used for Europe's crushing defeat of America in the Ryder Cup.
However, this European team look much less potent than the one which went to Oakland Hills, and it could be time to put profit before patriotism.
Corals make Bush 1-2 to remain in the White House, while the Europeans are 6-4 to draw a Breeders' Cup blank for the first time since 1998.
The double pays just under 3-1 and, though it pains me to say it, that looks a tempting investment.
Bizarre though it seems, American voters still seem to prefer Bush to John Kerry. And, despite reservations about the home team, this Euro squad might struggle to find even one lone star in the Lone Star state on Saturday night.
