An extended season of live American Quarter Horse racing gets underway on Friday, April 23, 2004 at Sam Houston Race Park. The 95-day meeting will feature live racing Friday - Sunday In April, May and June and shifts to Thursday - Sunday on July 29. Post time is 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings and 5:00 p.m. post time for Sunday. Live racing will conclude on Saturday, November 6, 2004 with the running of the prestigious MBNA America Challenge Championships.

Racing secretary Eric Johnston announced that Sam Houston Race Park will offer 45 stakes races with purses in excess of $1,000,000 in addition to the 13 MBNA Challenge Championship stakes races worth an additional $1 million.

With the extended meet, several of the key stakes races have been moved from their traditional dates. The $75,000 MBNA Texas Challenge Championship (G1), which is usually run in July, will be moved to Saturday, May 29 to coincide with Memorial Day Weekend.

"Our goal in writing the 2004 stakes schedule was to create a number of weekends with big events," said Johnston. "Horsemen are thrilled that Sam Houston Race Park will offer its longest American Quarter Horse meeting and we look forward to hosting the nationally prominent MBNA Challenge Championships in November."

One of the biggest nights of the American Quarter Horse meeting is the Texas Summer Showdown, which will take place on Friday, July 30, 2004. This event has grown in prominence each year will once again be paired with the TQHA Yearling Sale in the Pavilion Centre on Saturday, July 31 and trials for the TQHA Sires’ Cup Futurity set for Saturday evening.

"We are pleased with the 2004 live racing schedule and the opportunity to showcase American Quarter Horse racing for a six month period," said Robert L. Bork, president and general manager of Sam Houston Race Park. "This schedule reflects the cooperation of the Texas Racing Commission and the other racetracks in Texas. We were happy to accommodate Lone Star Park so that they could continue in their preparation for the Breeders’ Cup. Our local fans will enjoy the combination of live racing on each of the Triple Crown dates; a first in our ten-year history."

Stall applications are currently being accepted and horsemen who are interested in running horses at Sam Houston Race Park this summer may contact the Racing Office at 1-800-807-RACE. Stall applications, stakes schedules and condition books will be available on the Sam Houston Race Park web site at www.shrp.com.

SAM HOUSTON RACE PARK STAKES SCHEDULE
2004 American Quarter Horse Meet
April 23 - November 6 - 95 Days of Racing

Sat. April 24 Harris County Stakes
$10,000 Added (Includes $5,000 from TBSF) Accredited Texas Bred Fillies & Mares<br>
3 Yr. Olds & Up 350 Yards

Sat. May 1 Gulf Coast Stakes
$10,000 Added (Includes $5,000 from TBSF) Accredited Texas Breds
3 Yr. Olds 350 Yards

Sat. May 8 Sam Houston Texas Bred Futurity
(Trials April 23) $35,000 Added
2 Yr. Olds 300 Yards

Sat. May 15 Miss Houston Stakes
$10,000 Added (Includes $5,000 from TBSF) Accredited Texas Bred Fillies
3 Yr. Olds 350 Yards

Sat. May 22 Stephen F. Austin Stakes
$10,000 Added (Includes $5,000 from TBSF) Accredited Texas Breds
3 Yr. Olds & Up 350 Yards

Sat. May 29 MBNA Texas Challenge Championship - G1
(Trials May 14) $75,000 Added (Includes $45,000 from AQHA)
3 Yr. Olds & Up 440 Yards

Sat. May 29 MD Barns Texas Distance Challenge - G3
(Trials May 14) $14,000 Added (Includes $7,750 from AQHA) 3 Yr. Olds & Up 870 Yards

Sun. May 30 Bayer Legend Texas Derby Challenge - G3
(Trials May 15) $32,500 Added (Includes $17,500 from AQHA) 3 Yr. Olds 400 Yards

Sun. May 30 Professional’s Choice TX Claiming Challenge
(Trials May 15) $14,000 Added (Includes $7,750 from AQHA) 3 Yr. Olds & Up 350 Yards

Mon. May 31 John Deere Texas Distaff Challenge - G3
(Trials May 15) $13,250 Added (Includes $7,000 from AQHA)
Fillies and Mares 3 Yr. Olds & Up 400 Yards

Mon. May 31 Ford Texas Juvenile Challenge - G2
(Trials May 16) $22,500 Added (Includes $12,500 from AQHA) 2 Yr. Olds 350 Yards

Sat. June 5 River Oaks Stakes
$10,000 Added 2 Yr. Old Fillies 330 Yards

Sun. June 6 Gulf Coast Paint & Appaloosa Derby
(NO Trials) $5,000 Added 3 Yr. Olds 350 Yards

Sat. June 12 Spring Branch Stakes
$10,000 Added 2 Yr. Olds 330 Yards

Sat. June 19 Greenspoint Stakes
$10,000 Added Fillies & Mares 3 Yr. Olds & UP 350 Yards

Sat. June 26 Magnolia Stakes
$10,000 Added 3 Yr. Olds & Up 350 Yards

Sat. July 3 TQHA Sires’ Cup Futurity - RG2
(Trials June 20) $50,000 Added (Includes $25,000 from TQHA) 2 Yr. Olds 350 Yards

Sat. July 3 TQHA Sires’ Cup Derby - RG3
(Trials June 20) $25,000 Added (Includes $10,000 from TQHA) 3 Yr. Olds 400 Yards

Sat. July 10 Sam Houston Maiden Classic
(Trials June 25) $15,000 Added 3,4, & 5 Yr. Old Maidens As of June 1, 2004 350 Yards

Sat. July 17 Humble Stakes
$10,000 Added 3 Yr. Olds & Up 870 Yards

Friday July 30 - TQHA SUMMER SHOWDOWN:

Barnmaster Sprint Stakes - RG3
$40,000 Added (Includes $25,000 from TQHA) 3 Yr. Olds & UP 250 Yards

TQHA Starter Stakes
$20,000 Added (Includes $15,000 from TQHA) 350 Yards
3 Yr. Olds & Up Which Have Started for a Claiming Price of $5,000 or Less in 2003-2004.

Classic Chevrolet Stakes - RG3
$40,000 Added (Includes $25,000 from TQHA) 3 Yr. Olds & Up 400 Yards

TQHA "550" Stakes - RG3
$40,000 Added (Includes $25,000 from TQHA) 3 Yr. Olds & Up 550 Yards

Sat. July 31 Texas Quarter Horse Association Yearling Sale

Sun. Aug. 1 La Perla Paint & Appaloosa Stakes
(NO Trials) $5,000 Added 2 Yr. Olds 350 Yards

Sat. Aug. 7 Woodlands Stakes
$10,000 Added 3 Yr. Olds 870 Yards

Sat. Aug. 14 TQHA Sale Futurity - RG1
(Trials July 31) $100,000 Added (Includes $60,000 from TQHA) Accredited Texas Breds
2 Yr. Olds 350 Yards

Sat. Aug. 21 Harrisburg Handicap
$10,000 Added 3 Yr. Olds & Up 550 Yards

Sat. Aug. 28 Bluebonnet Stakes
$15,000 Added Fillies & Mares 3 Yr. Olds & Up 400 Yards

Sat. Aug. 28 TPHBA Paint & Appaloosa Derby
(Trials Aug. 13) $15,000 Added 3 Yr. Olds 350 Yards

Sat. Sept. 4 Sam Houston Classic - G2
$50,000 Added 3 Yr. Olds & Up 440 Yards

Sun. Sept. 5 Governors’ Cup Marathon - G3
$35,000 Added 3 Yr. Olds & Up 870 Yards

Mon. Sept. 6 Dixie Stallion Stakes Futurity - RG3
(Trials Aug. 22) $35,000 Added 2 Yr. Olds 350 Yards

Sat. Sept. 11 Colors of Houston Futurity - G3
(Trials Aug. 20) $15,000 Added Paints & Appaloosas 2 Yr. Olds 350 Yards

Sat. Sept. 11 Colors of Texas Stakes
$5,000 Added Paints & Appaloosas 3 Yr. Olds & Up 400 Yards

Sat. Sept 18 TQHA Sires’ Cup Stakes
$15,000 Added (Includes $5,000 from TQHA) 3 Yr. Olds & Up 400 Yards

Fri. Sept. 24 Sam Houston Futurity - G1
(Trials Sept. 9) $100,000 Added 2 Yr. Olds 400 Yards

Sat. Sept. 25 Sam Houston Derby - G2
(Trials Sept. 10) $35,000 Added 3 Yr. Olds 440 Yards

Sat. Oct. 2 Rio Grande Handicap
$15,000 Added 3 Yr. Olds & Up 1000 Yards

Sat. Oct. 9 Champion Forest Stakes
$15,000 Added 3 Yr. Olds & Up 440 Yards

Sat. Oct. 16 Sugar Land Stakes
$10,000 Added Fillies & Mares 3 Yr. Olds & Up 400 Yards

Sat. Oct. 23 Graham Farms Paint Futurity - G1
(Trials Oct. 8) $75,000 Added (Includes $50,000 from Graham Farms)
2 Yr. Old Paints 350 Yards

Fri. Oct. 29 Texas Classic Futurity - G1
(Trials Oct. 14) $200,000 Added 2 Yr. Olds 400 Yards

Sat. Oct. 30 Texas Classic Derby - G1
(Trials Oct. 15) $100,000 Added 3 Yr. Olds 440 Yards

Sat. Oct. 30 Olympia Joe Stakes
$10,000 Added Paints & Appaloosas 3 Yr. Olds & Up 400 Yards

Fri. Nov. 5 Nutrena Claiming Stakes
$25,000 Guaranteed (Includes $5,000 from AQHA) 3 Yr. Olds & Up 350 Yards

Fri. Nov. 5 Los Alamitos Racecourse Stakes
$25,000 Guaranteed (Includes $5,000 from AQHA) 3 Yr. Olds & Up 870 Yards

Fri. Nov. 5 AQHA Members Plus Distaff Stakes
$25,000 Guaranteed (Includes $5,000 from AQHA) Fillies & Mares
3 Yr. Olds & Up 400 Yards

Sat. Nov. 6 MBNA America Challenge Championship G1
$300,000 Guaranteed 3 Yr. Olds & Up 440 Yards

Sat. Nov. 6 AQHYA Claiming Stakes
$12,500 Added (Includes $7,500 from AQHA) 3 Yr. Olds & Up 350 Yards

Sat. Nov. 6 American Quarter Horse Racing Journal Stakes
$25,000 Guaranteed (Includes $5,000 from AQHA) 2 Yr. Olds 350 Yards

Sat. Nov. 6 Sooner Trailer Stakes
$25,000 Guaranteed (Includes $5,000 from AQHA) 3 Yr. Olds 400 Yards

Sat. Nov. 6 TQHA Stakes
$25,000 Guaranteed (Includes $5,000 from AQHA) 3 Yr. Olds & Up 440 Yards

Sat. Nov. 6 MD Barnes Challenge Championship - G1
$100,000 Guaranteed 3 Yr. Olds & Up 870 Yards

Sat. Nov. 6 Professional’s Choice Challenge Championship
$75,000 Guaranteed 3 Yr. Olds & Up 350 Yards

Sat. Nov. 6 John Deere Challenge Championship - G1
$100,000 Guaranteed Fillies & Mares 3 Yr. Olds & Up 400 Yards

Sat. Nov. 6 Ford Challenge Championship - G1
$150,000 Guaranteed 2-Year Olds 350 Yards

Sat. Nov. 6 Bayer Legend Challenge Championship - G1
$175,000 Guaranteed 3-Year Olds 400 Yards

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