(Wednesday, July 28, 2004) - American Quarter Horse rider Mark Page was injured this morning in a training accident at Sam Houston Race Park and will be out of action for one month. Page, 43, currently second in the rider standings at the northwest Houston racetrack, suffered a hairline fracture of his right wrist.

Page, who has ridden both Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds for 23 years, resides in Houston. He was having a very solid meet and with 56 wins, trailed current leader Danny Lavergne, by just two races. Page had been named on six mounts on the Thursday evening card and seven on Friday's Texas Summer Showdown program.

"I'm disappointed because things had been going so well this meet," commented Page. "But these things happen in racing and I should be back in
3-4 weeks."

Eight Trial Races Set for Saturday Night at Sam Houston Race Park

On Saturday, July 31, the card will feature eight trials for the 2004 TQHA Sale Futurity. Yearlings purchased in the 2003 TQHA Yearling Sale are eligible to run in the trials with the ten fastest qualifiers returning in finals on Saturday, August 14.

Some of the top 2-year-olds competing in Saturday's trials include Azoom, who finished second in the $134,748 TQHA Sires' Cup Futurity
(RG2) on June 20. The speedy colt, bred in Texas by Jerry Windham was purchased at the 2003 TQHA Yearling Sale for $62,000 by Enrique Carrion of Veracruz, Mexico. He was the fastest qualifier in trials for the TQHA Sires' Cup Futurity, covering 350-yards in :17.475. Rodrigo Vallejo will ride him in Saturday's trials. Kathy's Star Quest, winner of the $268,230 Manor Downs Futurity on May 2, is also entered in trials. She was purchased for $7,500 at the 2003 TQHA Yearling Sale and has now won three of her five starts for owner Euservio Huitron of Austin. Trainer Joe Chapa has named J. R. Ramirez to ride the bay filly.

Post time for the Saturday card is 7:00 p.m. with the eight trials running as races 2 - 9.