Live Thoroughbred racing returns to Sam Houston Race Park with kick-off opening weekend events featuring races and live entertainment Friday, November 23 through Sunday, November 25. In addition to the excitement of Thoroughbred racing, special live performances from country music stars Miranda Lambert (mirandalambert.com) and Kevin Fowler (kevinfowler.com) will highlight the opening weekend. Post times for races on Friday & Saturday is 7:00 p.m. and Sunday at 5:00 p.m.

Lambert recently rocked the Country Music Association Awards with a stunning live performance and was nominated as Best Female Vocalist. Austin-based singer/songwriter Kevin Fowler, best known for being a little bit rock and a little bit Texas country, is also set to perform during the opening weekend.

Live racing will continue each Thursday – Sunday evening in November. SHRP will host a special live race card on Monday, December 31 at 7:00 p.m.

The 2007-2008 Thoroughbred meeting will continue though Saturday, April 5, 2008. For more information on races and events, please visit www.shrp.com.

Texas Champions Day Saturday, December 1

Sam Houston Race Park, with the support and cooperation of the Texas Thoroughbred Association, will host Texas Champions Day, a Live Thoroughbred Racing event with a Texas theme, on Saturday, December 1, 2007. The event will also live entertainment and a performance by “2004 Best Country Singer in Houston” winner Mignon Grabois.

The Park will host a special pre-racing handicapping seminar featuring track announcer Michael Chamberlain, the Houston Chronicle’s Martha Claussen and Daily Racing Form correspondent Mary Rampellini. A “$2,500 Texas Champions Day Online/At the Track Handicapping Contest” invites guests to try their hand at handicapping our 8 stakes races on Saturday, December 1, 2007. Contestants will be asked to make win, place and show selections on the 8 stakes races: the “Star of Texas Stakes”, the “Martanza Stakes,” the “Richard King Stakes,” the “San Jacinto Stakes,” the “Spirit of Texas Stakes,” the “Yellow Rose Stakes,” the “Groovy Stakes,” and the “Bara Lass Stakes.” The guest with the highest cumulative net total from the above races based on an assumed $2 win, place and show wager will be declared the winner of the contest.

Patrons entering the park after 5 p.m. will receive a free commemorative event t-shirt on a first-come, first-serve basis. The event is open to patrons of all ages. Tickets are available for $4 for adults, $2 for Senior Citizens and children under 12 are FREE. Texas Champions Day is presented by Woodford Reserve and Dodge. For more information visit www.shrp.com or call 281.807.8760.

Inaugural New Year’s Eve Zoom & Boom Celebration

Sam Houston Race Park invites Houstonians to ring in 2008 in style at the inaugural New Year’s Eve Zoom & Boom Celebration on Monday, December 31, 2007. Guests are invited to “come-as-you-are” with boots and jeans casual attire for a night of Thoroughbred racing, live entertainment featuring dance music from the 70s, 80s and more, champagne toast along with one of the largest firework displays in town! Ticket packages include reserved seating for racing, racing program, buffet dinner by award winning Executive Chef Francis Walters, special New Year’s party favors, commemorative champagne flute and more! The event will also feature K-Hits & 106.9 The Point DJs and KRIV Fox 26 personalities counting down to 2008. Ticket packages start at $15 per person. For more information visit www.shrp.com or call 281.807.8760.

Other Racing Information

The northwest Houston racetrack will host a special live race card on Monday, December 31, 2007, at 7:00 p.m. The 2007/2008 Thoroughbred meeting will continue though Saturday, April 5, 2008.

A complete list of racing dates and stakes is available on the Sam Houston Race Park web site, shrp.com. Horsemen can obtain the first condition book by calling the racing office at 1-800-807-RACE or online on the Sam Houston Race Park web site at www.shrp.com.

Danny Pish Wins Ninth Retama Park Training Title

Danny Pish, who has won the Sam Houston Race Park’s training title for the past two years, captured his ninth leading trainer belt buckle last Saturday at Retama Park. Pish completed the meet with a record of 40 wins from 189 starts and earnings of $465,981. John Locke finished second with 18 victories and Cheryl Asmussen followed closely with a total of 17 wins. Michelle Lovell was fourth in the standings with 15 wins, concluding the Retama Park meet in fine fashion, winning the $45,000 No Le Hace Stakes with Man Named Sue ($21.00). Robert Schultz and Tony Edison tied for fifth-place with 13 victories each.

Danny Pish captured his ninth leading trainer belt buckle on November 17 at Retama Park

Eguard Tejera Captures His First Riding Title

Thoroughbred jockey Eguard Tejera won the first leading rider title of his career, dominating the jockey colony at Retama Park. The 29-year-old native of Uruguay came to the United States six years ago and began his career as an exercise rider. This year was the first year that he rode professionally for the entire year and he won 50 races at Retama Park, besting veteran jockeys Steve Bourque (33); Filemon Rodriguez (30) and Bobby Walker, Jr. (21).

Tejera rode for a number of horsemen at Retama Park including Jim Bausch, Andy Konkoly, Tommie Morgan and Tony Edison. He is named on five mounts this Friday at Sam Houston Race Park.

Simulcasting this Weekend at Sam Houston Race Park

Fair Grounds, one of the most highly anticipated meets in this region will open on Thanksgiving Day. Their 136th season opens with the $60,000 Thanksgiving Handicap, attracted a field of nine including Orphan Brigade and Going Wild from the barn of Bret Calhoun. The New Orleans racetrack’s Thoroughbred season runs through March 23, 2008. Also on Thanksgiving Day, Churchill Downs will present the Grade 2, $300,000 Falls City Handicap with Panty Raid, High Heels and Kettleoneup as the top contenders.

Major weekend simulcast races include the Grade 2, $500,000 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs on Friday, November 23 and the Grade 2, $250,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes for 2-year-olds on Saturday at Churchill Downs. Aqueduct will present the Grade 1, $300,000 Cigar Mile and Laurel will showcase the Grade 1, $250,000 De Francis Memorial Stakes. Hollywood Park will present the Grade 2, $100,000 Generous Stakes on Friday and the Grade 1, $500,000 Hollywood Derby and Grade 1, $500,000 Matriarch Stakes on Sunday, November 25.

A complete list of simulcast tracks and post times can be found on the Sam Houston Race Park web site, shrp.com or by calling (281) 807-8740.

Quarter Horse Racing News

Lone Star Park ran trials for the Grade 1, $1,069,297 Texas Classic Futurity last Saturday night and Illegal Memories was the fastest qualifier, winning his 400 yard trial in :19.706. The Texas-bred gelding is trained by Doug McMullen and will face nine rivals in the final on Saturday, December 1. Trainer Heath Taylor, who is always prominent at Sam Houston Race Park, had an exceptional night, qualifying six of the horses, including Coronas Leaving You, who is undefeated to date.

Last Friday, trials took place for the $400,000 Texas Classic Derby and Speed Transferred was the fastest qualifier. Trained by Wes Giles, Speed Transferred crossed the wire of the 440 yard trial in :21.429.

Sam Houston Race Park will simulcast the Texas Classic Futurity on December 1, which is the final night of the 2007 Lone Star Park Quarter Horse meeting.

Student Council Tokyo Bound

Student Council, who won the first stakes race of his career at Sam Houston Race Park, is in final preparations for the Grade 1, $2.3 million Japan Cup Dirt on November 24 at Tokyo Racecourse.

The 5-year-old son of Kingmambo captured the $100,000 MAXXAM Gold Cup last January at Sam Houston Race Park. He had an outstanding year, winning the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar and the Grade 2, Hawthorne Gold Cup. He earned an automatic berth into the Grade 1, $5,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Classic, but his owner Ro Parra, opted for the Japan Cup Dirt, which offered a $833,000 bonus to the winner of the Pacific Classic.

Ricky Frazier Wins 3,000th Career Race

Thoroughbred jockey, Ricky Frazier, who won two riding titles at Sam Houston Race Park, won his 3,000th race on Saturday, November 17 at Turf Paradise. Frazier accomplished this feat aboard Miller’s Turbo ($7.60) for trainer Doug O’Neill in the 8th race of the card.

Frazier was the leading rider in the inaugural Sam Houston Race Park racing season in 1994. He followed that up with his second title in 1995 and has been riding on the West Coast for the past ten years.

VIP Club November Specials Offered at Sam Houston Race Park

Live Racing kicks off on Friday, November 23, 2007, but will continue simulcast action seven days a week. We continue to provide great offers and benefits for our VIP Club members. Promotions for the month of November include:

Wednesday: $100 Showvivor Handicapping Contest – Hollywood Park

Saturday: Super 7 Saturday: The 7th Race at seven designated racetracks on each Saturday in November with handicappers asked to make mythical win and place wagers. $300 goes to First Place, $150 to Second Place, and $50 to Third Place.

Sunday: Pigskin and Horse Hide Contest - Pick 3 NFL Winners against the spread, as well 4 designated Horse Races. $100 First Place, $75 Second Place, $25 Third.

Sunday: $.10 Superfecta Sunday on Sunday, November 25, 2007. Ten VIP numbers are drawn before 5 selected live races for a $12 voucher for $.10 superfectas on Sam Houston Race Park live races.

All contest rules can be found on www.shrp.com. To become a VIP Club member, visit the Players Lounge located at the North end of the Grandstand on the Paddock Level. For more information about the VIP Club visit the Players Lounge or call 281-807-8278.