(Saturday, June 13, 2009) - Sam Houston Race Park hosted the $129,420 TQHA Sire’s Cup Futurity on Saturday, June 13. The race highlighted an exciting day of 11 live Quarter Horse races and the Inaugural Wiener Dog Races, which featured four trial races with the top two in each race advancing to the final race at 5:40 p.m.

Trials for the TQHA Sires’ Cup Futurity were run on Friday, May 29. Ivansbay was the top qualifier in the trials and continued his winning streak by finishing the 350-yard final of the race in a time of :17.699. The two-year-old gelding was favored at odds of 9-5. Winning his third consecutive race brought the young colt’s career record to 3-1.

Ivansbay is owned and trained by Frank Cavazos. “I think he’s a really nice colt. He knows how to run and he’s very talented,” said Cavazos. “I think we’ll put him in the trials for the Sam Houston Derby next and see how he does.”

Ridden by jockey J.R. Ramirez, Ivansbay broke sharp and led the way, crossing the finish line one-half of a length ahead of second place finisher Perryphery.

“He was the fastest qualifier by far,” commented Ramirez. “I’m just glad he came through because sometimes the fastest qualifier doesn’t come back and win the final, but he did really well tonight.”

Perryphery (4-1), owned by Bobby Cox and trained by John Buchanan, was the fourth fastest qualifier and finished second in tonight’s final with a time of :17.800.

Icy Patriot finished third, followed past the wire by Six Toast, Rhia La Jolla, Mischka, Special Pem and Kool Favorite.

In addition to live Quarter Horse racing events, The Park hosted a “Dress to Impress” Pet Costume Contest for dogs of all breeds at 3 p.m. along with five Wiener Dog Races. The Verizon Wireless Summer Concert Series on the Bud Light stage featured America and Christopher Cross at The Showgrounds immediately following live racing.