(Saturday, June 6, 2009) - Sam Houston Race Park was home to a showdown between rivals Big Bad N Brown (3-1), Jess Ina Bluedress (9-2), and Blue Ribbon Dash (5-1) in the $19,000 San Marcos Stakes on Saturday, June 6, 2009. The last match-up between these three Quarter Horses featured Big Bad N Brown upsetting the field, winning by a head in the Universal City Stakes on May 9. However, this race, showcasing three-year-olds and up, featured Blue Ribbon Dash barreling around the final curve and steadily closing to beat out the field.

The eight-year-old gelding is trained by Kie Mushinski, owned by Donna Mushinski and ridden by jockey James Brooks.

“He really came on around the curve, just like I knew he would,” commented Brooks. “I have a lot of faith in this horse, he does really well.”

Blue Ribbon Dash, clearing the 870 yards in a time of :45.502, paid his betting fans $10.20 for the win.

“I was out of my mind excited,” said Kie Mushinski. “He did exactly what he was supposed to do. We don’t know what his next race will be just yet, but it will be another stakes race. We’re extremely happy with him.”

The final order of finish in the eight-horse field had Sheza Bright Wood finishing second and Heza Marquette Maker checking in third, followed by Jess Ina Bluedress, Big Bad N Brown, Cant Pass Me, All The Kings Horses, and JBS Money Maker.

Saturday’s live racing event was followed by the inaugural “Battle of Sam” 2009 Battle of the Bands competition from the Verizon Wireless Concert Series on the Bud Light Stage in the Value Day Fun Zone featuring Idiginis, Runaway Sun, Fulton Read, Peekaboo Theory, Glass Intrepid, Flawlessly Inadequate and Adamantium.