Sam Houston Race Park will host the 11th Annual Texas Quarter Horse Association (TQHA) Yearling Sale on July 24 & 25, 2009. The highly anticipated annual event, one of the largest horse sales and expos in the region, showcases top yearling racing prospects, and provides horsemen as well as the general public, the opportunity to preview the next generation of horse racing competitors. The two-day event features more than 380 American Quarter Horses available for sale and approximately 25 vendors and booths.

The event is FREE and open to the public; Pavilion Centre gates open at 8:30 a.m. daily. The sale takes place daily from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The 2009 Equine Expo is presented by Spring Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge.

“The 2009 TQHA Yearling Sale is shaping up to be the strongest in the event’s 11-year history, and we anticipate several thousand people coming out to The Park to see the next generation of racehorses,” said Sam Houston Race Park’s Vice President of Racing, Eric Johnston. “The number of horses in the sale has increased significantly this year, as well as interest in The Park’s live racing product, which will feature some of the largest purses of the summer.”

“This will be the biggest sale we’ve ever had and in spite of the economy; on paper, this is one of the best catalogs we’ve ever put out,” commented TQHA Executive Director Rob Werstler. “I anticipate a very nice turnout for this year’s TQHA Yearling Sale at The Park.”

The 2008 sale and expo featured over 300 American Quarter Horses from 140 various consignors and totaled in excess of $3.9 million in sales. The racehorses from the 2008 sale went on to earn over $1 million in the first five months of their careers.

The two-day event is part of the Texas Summer Showdown Weekend at The Park, which is one of the highlights of the American Quarter Horse meet. In addition, the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) will be streaming FREE live video for the two-day event through its website at www.aqharacing.com.

In addition to the equine expo and live auction, The Park will host an exciting weekend of American Quarter Horse racing including four stakes races on Friday evening and the highly-anticipated $408,730 TQHA Sale Futurity (RG1) stakes race on Saturday night.

Friday’s stakes schedule includes the $50,000+ Ancira Ford Classic; $45,000+ Barnmaster Sprint Stakes; $45,000+ Gulf Coast 4 Star Trailer 550 Stakes; and the $25,000+ Jones Bloodstock Insurance Starter Stakes. Post time is 7:00 p.m.

On Saturday night, in addition to the $408,730 TQHA Sale Futurity, racing fans can enjoy the $59,458 TQHA Sires’ Cup Futurity and the $5,000+ Gulf Coast Paint & Appaloosa Maturity. Saturday will feature a special post time of 7:00 p.m .