(Houston, Texas - Tuesday, September 16, 2014) - A new face will be part of the Sam Houston Race Park team as the Houston, Texas track prepares for its 21st season of Thoroughbred racing on January 16th.

Fred Hutton, currently the Director of Racing at Zia Park, will seek to make his mark in Texas when the Sam Houston Race Park stables open December 4th. In his new position at SHRP, Hutton will also coordinate stall applications that are due on November 3rd. A longtime racing official and former jockey and trainer, Hutton has previously served in Racing Secretary roles at Zia Park, Prairie Meadows and Remington Park.

"Having Fred join our team is another step forward in our continued efforts to enhance our racing program," said Sam Houston Race Park President Andrea Young. "Fred brings a great deal of enthusiasm and energy with him. I have high expectations for our program and believe he will help us achieve our long term goals."

Hutton first began his career in horse racing as a jockey and then trainer, spending more than 30 years on that side of the business. He moved to the racetrack side of the business in the early 1990s at Thistledown in Cleveland, Ohio as a racing official and later a member of the starting gate crew. In 2000 he joined Remington Park and held several management positions over the next ten years including Director of Racing/Racing Secretary and Stakes Coordinator as well as Director of Simulcasting. Hutton has been at Zia Park since 2011.

"I'm excited to grow my role at Penn National Gaming by joining a track of Sam Houston Race Park's caliber as its Racing Secretary. The clear leader of Texas racing, I have been impressed by the quality program they have developed over the past several seasons and will aim to build upon it going forward," said Hutton.

Hutton who will continue to serve in his current role at Zia Park will begin his new role at Sam Houston immediately.

Sam Houston Race Park will kick off the 2015 live racing season on January 16th with a 32 day Thoroughbred meet. The schedule for the 2015 Thoroughbred Meet will be Fridays (7 p.m.), Saturdays (6 p.m.), and Monday and Tuesday afternoons (1 p.m.). On March 27th, the track will follow with its annual 2015 American Quarter Horse Meet which will run for 24 days through May 16th. The 2015 Thoroughbred Stakes schedule will be announced in the next few weeks.