(Grand Prairie, Texas - Tuesday, December 1, 2020) - After coming off of the highest average Thoroughbred export handle per day in the track's history in 2020, Lone Star Park is looking forward to 2021. Lone Star Park's 2021 Thoroughbred racing season will begin Thursday, April 22, 2021. It will have more live racing days with 48 when compared with the 41 in 2018, 44 in the 2019 season and the 37 in 2020. The meeting will conclude on July 11. The calendar features live racing every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 2:35 p.m., select Thursdays at 6:35 p.m. and select Mondays at 2:35 p.m. Special Triple Crown post times of 1:35 p.m. and a July 4 twilight post time of 5:00 p.m. will round out the schedule.

The 2021 Thoroughbred racing season stakes schedule will run a total of 20 stakes worth a combined total of $2,225,000. At the top of the schedule is the $400,000 guaranteed Steve Sexton Mile (Gr. III) for three-year-olds & up at one mile; the new $300,000 guaranteed Texas Derby for three-year-olds at one-and-one-sixteenth miles (plus up to $100,000 for Texas-breds); the $200,000 guaranteed Ouija Board Distaff for fillies & mares, three-year-olds & up, at one mile on turf; the new $100,000 guaranteed Chamberlain Bridge Stakes for three-year-olds & up going five furlongs on the turf; and the new $100,000 guaranteed Memorial Day Sprint for fillies & mares, three-year-olds & up at six furlongs. The above mentioned stakes are all to take place on Memorial Day, May 31 as the track revives Lone Star Million Day, which was last held in 2011.

Other than the $75,000 Bluebonnet Stakes, which kicks off the season on opening night, all other stakes will be held on one of four dates. They are:

• Lone Star Million Day, Monday, May 31 – five stakes worth a total of $1,100,000
• Lone Star Showcase Day, Sunday, June 13 – five stakes worth a total of $350,000
• New Summer Turf Festival, Sunday, June 27 – four stakes worth a total of $300,000
• Stars of Texas Day, Saturday, July 10 – five stakes worth a total of $400,000.

The 2021 Thoroughbred racing season stakes schedule can be found at: https://www.lonestarpark.com/stakes-schedule/.

Purse levels will average an estimated $252,000 per day, with maiden races at an estimated $36,000. The daily purses, with added stakes, should attract more well-known horsemen with top-notch stables.