Sam Houston Race Park will celebrate Father's Day with a big day of racing as the Sunday, June 20 card will feature 16 trials for the $50,000-added TQHA Sires' Cup Futurity and the $25,000-added TQHA Sires' Cup Derby. A special post time of 4:00 p.m.
has been set with the four Derby trials at 400-yards to begin the card followed by the 12 trials for the TQHA Sires' Cup Futurity to follow.

The TQHA Sires' Cup Futurity has traditionally be run in August, but was moved up this year to give horsemen an opportunity to run in both the TQHA Sires' Cup and TQHA Sale Futurity, for yearlings purchased at the TQHA Yearling Sale.

"With the extended Quarter Horse meet at Sam Houston Race Park this year, we wanted to change our schedule to allow horses to run in both the TQHA Sires' Cup Futurity and the TQHA Sale Futurity," said Rob Werstler, executive director of the Texas Quarter Horse Association. "The Futurity and Derby trials were scheduled on the same day so that horsemen and especially jockeys, will have a chance to compete in our races and the Firecracker races at Delta Downs on Saturday, June 19."

There will be no shortage of quality races for 2-year-olds this summer at Sam Houston Race Park, with the finals of the TQHA Sires Cup Futurity set for July 3, followed by the TQHA Sale Futurity on August 14 and the Sam Houston Futurity set for September 24.
Trainer Dave Correll indicated that Maid It Special, winner of the $98,550 Ford Texas Juvenile Challenge (G2) on May 31, would run in trials on Sunday evening for the TQHA Sires' Cup Futurity. The 2-year-old filly owned by Brent Simmons of Sugar Land, is two-for-two in her young career and earned a berth into the $150,000 Ford Juvenile Challenge Championship on November 6 at Sam Houston Race Park. Correll was asked about preparing his filly for another big futurity.

"We're planning on running her in trials on Sunday," said Correll.

"It will be just three weeks since she won the Ford Challenge. Her running in the heat during the daytime took a little more out of her, but so far she's come back well. She was real tired after the race, but she's bounced back. You've got a have a lot of luck in this Quarter Horse business, especially with 2-year-olds. Sometimes it's physical and sometimes it's mental."

Perhaps trainer Duane Hartsell sums it up best when asked what it takes to win more than one futurity. "The key is to have enough horses in training, because you're going to run out of bullets," states Hartsell.