(Houston, Texas - Thursday, January 22, 2026) - The John B. Connally Turf Cup at Sam Houston Race Park offers a full field of veteran grass marathoners headed by Augustin Stables’ dual-Grade II winner Truly Quality. The son of Quality Road was last seen winning the Hollywood Turf Cup for the second straight year and excels at the mile and a half trip that will face the field of 12. Trainer Jonathan Thomas called that the biggest reason why this was his first objective for 2026.

“The distance is why we’re running in the Connally,” Thomas said. “I probably should have stretched him out sooner because he’s moved forward being a one-run horse at longer distances.”

In the latest edition of the Grade II Hollywood Turf Cup in November at Del Mar, jockey Mirco Demuro, who is on board Saturday in the Connally, moved the 6 year-old gelding early as the pace began to slow. Thomas said he lost no confidence when he saw the early move being executed by the international superstar on board. Demuro will ride again in the Connally.

“I was still very confident last time because this horse has so much stamina,” he said. “We’re hopeful we can get him going consistently in 2026 because of his potential.”

His main rival figures to be Presider, a recent winner of a N2X allowance event at Churchill Downs, which was his first start for trainer Joe Sharp after being purchased for $95,000 at the Keeneland November Horses of Racing Age sale. Presider’s biggest weapon is his speed, which he is expected to use to lead this field early.

“We were happy to get him for what we did at the sale,” Sharp said. “He ran really well last time at Churchill and set a track record. We’re excited because the Connally is special to us.”

Sharp will leg up Ben Curtis, who won the 2025 Houston Ladies Classic aboard Recharge. He is owned by Carl Moore Management.

Trainer Mike Maker has won the Connally Turf Cup a record 9 times and will have two shots at a 10th score with Three Diamonds Farm’s Anegada and Hooties Racing’s Boss Lady Bailey. The former is stretching out in distance off a win in the Last Hurrah at Turfway Park while the latter faces males in a return to the mile and a half distance that yielded her last victory in April 2025 at Keeneland.

Maker will have Rafael Hernandez ride Anegada, and Manny Esquivel on Boss Lady Bailey.

Nineeleventurbo, who was 3rd in the aforementioned Hollywood Turf Cup has made the trip to Houston for Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Neil Drysdale. He was compromised by a tough trip that afternoon at Del Mar. Truly Quality has bested him in consecutive years in the Hollywood Turf Cup and he will bid to exact some revenge in the Connally Turf Cup. Christian Torres will be aboard the Stepaside Farm color bearer.

Another Mystery will make his fourth appearance in the Connally Turf Cup, a race in which he dead-heated for the win in 2022. David Cabrera will be aboard the Illinois-bred son of Temple City who is owned by Team Block.

Malibu Mambo, Illustrator, Ocelot, Country Caper, and Quality Chic round out the field. Offlee Naughty will be scratche.