(Wednesday, June 27, 2007) - Live American Quarter Horse racing returns to Sam Houston Race Park on Friday, June 29 with ten live races and Jason Aldean as the first performer in the Verizon Wireless Concert Series.

The draw was held for the Saturday, June 30 card and racing secretary Eric Johnston has 13 races set, beginning with a special post time of 5:00 p.m. The first ten races will be trials for the $135,280 TQHA Sires’ Cup Futurity (RG2). The ten fastest qualifiers will return for the finals on Saturday, July 14. In addition to the 2-year-old trials, the first stakes of the 2007 American Quarter Horse Meeting, the $20,000-added Stephen F. Austin Stakes, will take place. The 350-yard feature attracted a field of 10, including defending champion, Ronas Wind Dancer. The 9-year-old gelding is owned and bred by Sheri Mueller Rosinski of Bellville, Texas and trained by Jesse Yoakum. This will be the third year in a row that Ronas Wind Dancer has started in the Stephen F. Austin Stakes. He finished third in the 2005 edition of the Texas-bred feature. His rivals include Hesa Lil Bit High, winner of the Live Oak Handicap on May 26 at Retama Park for trainer Robert Touchet and Ida Snow Man, who won the $26,280 Professional’s Choice Challenge Championship last July at Sam Houston Race Park.

The final two races of the evening will be trials for the Bank of America Texas Challenge Championship (G1). Defending champion, This Snow Is Cold leads the field in the first trial. Owned by Los Ladrilleros Horse Racing Company and trained by Frank Mendez, This Snow Is Cold has won 11 of her 31 career starts and has bankrolled $489,335 to date. The talented 6-year-old daughter of This Snow Is Royal made her first start of 2007 on June 9 at Delta Downs, winning the $20,000 Develop A Plan Stakes. She will break from post position 8 under Russel Hadley as the 8-5 morning line favorite.

Following the final race on Saturday, country music legend, Merle Haggard will perform in the Verizon Wireless Concert Series. For more information regarding live American Quarter Horse racing at Sam Houston Race Park, visit shrp.com or call (281) 807-8760. Tickets and a complete list of performers for the Verizon Wireless Concert Series are available on MusicAtThePark.com.