(Thursday, June 26, 2008) - More than 2,600 guests came out for the opening night of the American Quarter Horse meeting at Sam Houston Race Park. The evening included eight exciting trial races for two-year-old American Quarter Horses, all of whom had the potential to earn a spot in the finals for the $140,800 Sires’ Cup Futurity, which will be held on Friday, July11 at The Park.

Taking top honors for the evening was Lightning Round, owned by Bobby D. Cox and trained by John Buchanan. Lightning Round was the fastest qualifier of the night, as he blazed to victory in the seventh race crossing the wire of the 350-yard trial in a final time of :17.806.

Cox and Buchanan have a long-term association and created another champion last year in Don’t Let Down. Buchanan, one of The Park’s all-time leading trainers, is first on the list when it comes to earnings with $2,220,314 in purse money since The Park opened in 1994. The lightning-fast gelding was led to victory by jockey Dewey Smith, who didn’t disappoint after being asked to take the reins, replacing original jockey G.R. Carter, Jr.

Crossing the finish line first in the eighth race with the second overall fastest time was two-year-old gelding Columbia Crest, who claimed a spot with a final time of :17.933. The horse was ridden by Gaspar Garcia, trained by C. Dwayne Gilbreath and owned by Cameron Schoenhofer.

Three jockeys battled it out for most trial wins on the night. The jockeys included Gaspar Garcia, who qualified Columbia Crest and Intotemptation; Salvador Perez, who rode Forspeed Breezer and Its a Black Oak into the final; and Rodrigo Vallejo, who was victorious atop Secret Honor and MWS Sugar Sand.

The ten fastest qualifiers from all trial races will return to The Park on Friday, July 11, to compete for the $140, 800 purse.

Opening weekend continues with live racing and the debut of the Verizon Wireless Post-Race Concert Series on the Bud Light stage, featuring Robert Earl Keen on Friday, June 27, and John Michael Montgomery with Django Walker on Saturday, June 28.

Sam Houston Race Park
$140,800 Sires’ Cup Futurity Trials 2008

Trials: Thursday, June 26, 2008

Final: Saturday, July 10, 2008

Two-Year-Olds, 350 Yards