(Friday, July 25, 2008) - Sam Houston Race Park kicked off the Texas Summer Showdown weekend of live Quarter Horse racing events on Friday, July 25, with the TQHA Yearling Sale and four exciting stakes races. The featured races of the night included the $54,750 Ancira Ford Classic, the $50,500 Barnmaster Sprint Stakes, the $50,500 Gulf Coast 4 Star Trailer 550 Stakes and the $27,200 Jones Bloodstock Insurance Starters Stakes. Following are the results:

$27,200 Jones Bloodstock Insurance Starter Stakes (RG3)
Acuna Bound (3-year-old gelding)
:17.89 winning time
Jockey Gilbert Ortiz; Trainer Hector Martinez; Owner Larry & Rita Hejl from Conroe, TX
5th Race; Field of 11 horses; 350 yards

“This horse likes racing in Louisiana, but we brought him here because we live here - this is our home base. This race was very exciting for us. The horse broke well and ran well. We have this horse stabled here, so we’ll probably keep him here until the end of the meet,” said owner Larry Hejl.

“The horse broke really good. He opened up at about a link-and-a-half, and I had them beat all the way until the ten horse caught me on my ride side. But I had him beat too, by at least a good shoulder. The horse just ran a really good race,” commented jockey Gilbert Ortiz.

Acuna Bound ($12.20) was followed past the wire by Mambo Chill, and Mystical Promises in third.

$50,500 Barnmaster Sprint Stakes (RG3)
This Flights For You (3-year-old colt)
:13.22 winning time
Jockey John Hamilton; Trainer Alvin “Bubba” Brossette*; Owner Kathryn & Gene Smith
6th Race; Field of 11 horses; 250 yards

“He’s the winningest jockey in the nation and used to ride here at SHRP. He laughed and said he didn’t know how much longer he’d hold the title of winningest jockey in the nation. It was a lot of fun being a jockey. This was his first race here, he just came in this week. I liked the way the race shaped up. I saw that there were a few horses nominated, but when the field is a little lighter you always like that. We had an option between this race and the Sire’s Cup Derby, and we selected to go in this one because it shaped up a little bit lighter and we only had to run one time for it versus two times in the Derby for about the same money. The horse likes to run short, so we went with this one. We’re in the Sam Houston here,” said trainer Alvin “Bubba” Brossette.*

This Flights for You ($10.80) was followed past the wire by Painkiller and Okey Dokey Jess, that finished third.

*Alvin “Bubba” Brossette is a former Sam Houston Race Park jockey and currently holds the title of top winning jockey in the nation.

$50,500 Gulf Coast 4 Star Trailer “550” Stakes (RG3)
Thewayitallwentdown (4-year-old gelding)
:27.49 winning time
Jockey Martin Rubalcava; Trainer Virgil Lejeune; Owner J and M Racing & Farm
7th Race; Field of 11 horses; 550 yards

“This horse has been racing in Louisiana and my friend is out of Taylor, Texas, so this track was closer for him. Before this horse ran short distances, but it likes longer distances. Which makes sense why the horse came on so strong at the end to win this race.

The horse ran a good race at Delta so I thought the horse was obligated to run in this race. We’re waiting to see where we want to take him next, but we’ll probably stick around here,” said owner Javier Marquez.

“This horse ran a good race at Delta. I figured this horse would run a full forty. He ran a full forty and he looked like he could go a little further. We felt that we were obligated to give him a shot here,” commented trainer Virgil Lejeune.

Thewayitallwentdown ($12.80) beat Bridled Lightnin, that finished second, and third place went to Gray Invasion.

$54,750 Ancira Ford Classic Stakes (RG3)
Easy Dashin Sixes (3-year-old gelding)
:19.92 winning time
Jockey Santos Carrizales; Trainer Eusevio Huitron; Owner Oscar Ramirez
8th Race; Field of 10 horses; 400 yards

“This is the first time for this horse to race here. There were some good competitors, but we knew we had a good chance with this horse. I thought he broke well and raced very well. We’ll keep him here for the Sam Houston Derby,” said trainer Eusevio Huitron.

“You know he slipped behind coming out of the break, but he is a good horse and he recovered really quick. He’s a really nice horse and just won the race for me,” commented jockey Santos Carrizales.

Rounding out the night’s events was the Verizon Wireless post-race concert series on the Bud Light stage by Oklahoma country band Cross Canadian Ragweed at The Showgrounds. All concert dates and information are listed on www.theshowgrounds.com.

On Saturday, July 26, The Park continues the 2008 Equine Expo, the TQHA Yearling Sale, and the TQHA Summer Showdown. The night’s featured race is the TQHA Sale Futurity (RG1). The TQHA trial races, which took place on July 11 at The Park, revealed Show Me Your Toole as the fastest qualifier in a final time of :18.037. The race is open to two-year-olds running a distance of 350 yards. The field of 10 competitors for the final features Show Me Your Toole as the 5-2 favorite, with Jodys Money Pop (4-1) as the second favored horse in the race.

The expo features a wide variety of vendors promoting and selling their equine-related products and merchandise. The event is held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with live Quarter Horse racing immediately following. The event is open to the public. For more information visit www.shrp.com.