Sam Houston Race Park will cut purse money, along with three stakes races, from the 2009 American Quarter Horse meet, which is scheduled to run through Saturday, August 29. The three stakes races affected by this decision are the Spring Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge Stakes, a 550-yard race for horses ages three and up, originally scheduled for Friday, August 7; the Governors’ Cup Marathon (G3), an 870-yard race for horses ages three and up, originally scheduled for Friday, August 21; and the Sam Houston Classic (G2), a 440-yard race for horses ages three and up, originally scheduled to take place on Saturday, August 22.

“In an effort to minimize the purse cut to the overnight races, we decided to eliminate the Spring Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge Stakes, the Sam Houston Classic, and the Governor’s Cup Marathon races from the summer’s race card,” stated Sma Houston Race Park Vice President of Racing Eric Johnston. “While these are important races to our program, we felt it was equally important to protect the overnight races which make up the majority of our meet.”

The Park continues to feel the adverse affects of Hurricane Ike, which forced the cancellation of the 2008/2009 Thoroughbred meet, in terms of the live and simulcast racing products as handle figures have not met projections to date and have not rebounded from pre-storm levels.

“In an effort to be able to attract top racing contenders and offer quality races and purse money for the remainder of the Quarter Horse meet, we had to look at what we could realistically offer and make some tough decisions,” Johnston said.

The Park will host live racing events every Thursday, Friday and Saturday in June. The 2009 Quarter Horse meet will run through Saturday, August 29.