(Thursday, July 23, 2009) - Sam Houston Race Park will host the 11th Annual Texas Quarter Horse Association (TQHA) Yearling Sale, presented by Spring Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge, on July 24 & 25, 2009. The annual event spreads across two days and features over 380 American Quarter Horses available for sale, over 25 vendor booths, and nightly live races with over $600,000 in purse money. The highlight of the weekend’s races, and the largest stakes race in The Park’s 2009 American Quarter Horse Meet, will be the $408,729 TQHA Sale Futurity (RG1).

Friday night’s stakes races feature the $25,000+ Jones Bloodstock Insurance Starter Stakes, showcasing Quarter Horses three years of age and up racing a distance of 350 yards; the $45,000+ Barnmaster Sprint Stakes, which will feature horses three years of age and up sprinting a distance of 250 yards; the $45,000+ Gulf Coast 4 Star Trailer “550” Stakes for three-year-old horses and older running 550 yards; the $50,000+ Ancira Ford Classic, showcasing three-year-old horses and up racing 400 yards.

Saturday night’s race card features the highly anticipated $408,729 TQHA Sale Futurity, featuring two-year-old Quarter Horses which passed through the 2008 TQHA Yearling Sale ring, have qualified, and remain eligible. The 350-yard sprint will showcase two-year-old gelding Turbulenz (3-1), who was the fastest qualifier from the trials on July 10 and has won his last two races. Turbulenz has a winning combination behind him with owner Bobby Cox, trainer John Buchanan, and jockey Russel Hadley - all making their way into The Park’s top five in their respective fields.

“I felt he had a good run in the trials, very smooth and came on strong down the stretch,” commented Hadley. “All I can hope for is that we have another solid ride like that!”

The remainder of the 10-horse field features Aye Yi Yi, Witch Trick, Kite Flyer, This Hawk Can Fly, Poison Sumac, Legendary Seis, Straight Stoli, Demonstrative and La Jolla Street.

Also featured on Saturday’s live race card will be the $59,458 TQHA Sires’ Cup Derby and the $5,000+ Gulf Coast Paint & Appaloosa Maturity. The $59,458 TQHA Sires’ Cup Derby will showcase three-year-old Quarter Horses and up racing a distance of 400 yards. The coupling of Bonarco (5-2) and La Jolla Suspect will be tough to top. Bred, owned and trained by Jorge Haddad, Bonarco will be ridden by jockey Rodrigo Vallejo, and taking the mount on La Jolla Suspect will be jockey David Alvarez.

The remainder of the 10-horse field will feature Big Bizooms, Surviving Success, Charal Kid, Hotdoggin Heaven, Ja Jess Royalty, Red Oak Special, It’s a Black Oak and Fast Prize Dash.