(Houston, Texas - Saturday, July 30, 2010) - Sam Houston Race Park hosted a crowd of more than 3,200 race fans for the first night of the 12th Annual Texas Quarter Horse Association (TQHA) Summer Showdown on Friday, July 30. The weekend, which features more than $500,000 in purse money, showcases top accredited Texas-bred horses across two days of live racing events.

The $35,000 Barnmaster Sprint Stakes (RG3), the seventh race of the night, featured a field of 10 horses racing a distance of 250 yards. Four-year old gelding Coming Thru ($4.80), winner of the 2010 Silestone Stakes race at The Park, broke sharply from the gate and battled to gain the lead but was able to quickly sprint ahead and win the race by one length over challengers Speeding and Own The Waterfront in a final time of :13.85. Coming Thru, who reached an incredible speed index of 107, is trained by The Park’s current leading trainer Judd Kearl, owned by Mickey W. Tiner, and was ridden by jockey Rodrigo Vallejo.

Final order was: Comin Thru, Speeding, Own The Waterfront, St Pats First, Memories Of Okey, Executive Looks, La Jolla Suspect, A Quick Royal, Royal Daydream, and Calientes Wrangler.

The $17,000 Jones Bloodstock Insurance Starter Stakes showcased Texas-bred racers three years of age going a distance of 350 yards, with a field of 10 for the night’s eighth race. Downtown Diva gained the lead early on in the race, experiencing some competition from both Rapidton and New Champ, but pulled ahead in the latter part of the race, winning by one length in a final time of :17.68. The three-year old filly was guided by jockey Russel Hadley, who captured two of the night’s stakes wins. The horse is owned by Jack Powers and J.P. Carpenter and trained by Toby Keeton. The horse’s victory paid wagering fans $12.00 for the win.

Final order was: Downtown Diva, Rapidton, New Champ, RC Grimm, Kool Favorite, Wire Me The Roses, Newarcos Bambina, Zack Lee, My Philosophy and Play Topless.

The ninth race of the night, the $34,000 Gulf Coast 4 Star Trailer “550” Stakes (RG3), offered race fans one of the closest races of the evening, with the top three horses going neck-and-neck down to the wire. Five-year old gelding JC My Diamond Man ($11.20) and jockey Alfonso Lujan started off the 550-yard race a bit slow but kicked up the pace to strategically battle between horses to claim the game win over Dashin Tres and Brightest Okey. They reached a speed index of 98 and finished with a time of :27.41. JC My Diamond Man is trained by J. Benny Pennington and owned by Clem D. Nava, III.

Final placement in the close race was: JC My Diamond Man in first, followed by Dashin Tres and Brightest Okey, with Chasing The Cheese, Demonstrative, Blue Ribbon Dash and Whiskey N Gunpowder closing out the order of finish.

The $39,750 Ancira Ford Classic, the last of the night’s TQHA Summer Showdown stakes events, showcased three-year olds and up racing 400 yards. The race proved to be another close one as the top three horses went neck-and-neck down to the wire. King Brimmerton proved to be the king of the field of nine, keeping a steady pace and ultimately taking enough of a lead to pull off the win over Point Of Deception and Illegal Memories in a time of :19.69. This race was the second victory of the night for jockey Russel Hadley.

The four-year old sorrel gelding, who also won the TQHA Sires Stakes at The Park earlier this season, is trained by John Buchanan and owned by Bobby D. Cox. He paid out fans $16.00 for the win.

Final placement was: King Brimmerton, Point Of Deception, Illegal Memories, Heza Hotdoggin, Charal Kid, Ouickid Corona, Hot Charge, Six Toast and Surviving Success.

The final night of the TQHA Summer Showdown, featuring the $400,000 TQHA Sale Futurity, the riches race of the 2010 Quarter Horse Meet, will take place on Saturday, July 31. Live Quarter Horse Racing continues through Saturday, August 14 at The Park.