(Saturday, August 2, 2008) - Sam Houston Race Park hosted an exciting weekend of live racing events with highlights from The Park including the Sam Houston Maiden Classic on Friday, August 1 and the Woodland Stakes, presented by Ikon Office Solutions, on Saturday, August 2.

The Park hosted trial races for the $47,700 Sam Houston Maiden Classic on July 17, with the top 10 fastest qualifiers returning to compete in the final on Friday evening for the 350-yard race. Zoomin Winner, a three-year-old colt owned by Mickey Tiner of Angleton, Texas and trained by Judd Kearl was an impressive winner who exploded from the gate under rider Gaspar Rivera and drew off by a length-and-a-half in a winning time of :18.006. The Texas-bred colt, the second-favored horse in the morning line at odds of 9-2 behind Miss Shady Cartel, was the second fastest qualifier in the trials and proved to be a contender for the final race.

“This colt is just now starting to get an opportunity because as a two-year-old he didn’t. He’s starting to come into his own now. Judd [Kearl] has taken wonderful care of him, and he seems to get better every time we stick him out there,” praised owner Mickey Tiner. “I was worried tonight about being on the inside, but evidentially he did pretty good and stayed out in front. It looks like 400 to 440 yards is really going to work best for him. When you win a race like this, it’s just fantastic, and we’re so proud.”

Jockey Rivera commented, “He broke well and was in front the whole time. The delay at the starting gate worked well for us because he was more relaxed going back into the starting gate.”

Zoomin Winner earned $19,080 for his victory and paid $6.40 to win. Mrs Eye Angel was second with Rodrigo Vallejo in the irons, and Miss Shady Cartel finished third. The field featured nine horses.

Tiner indicated that Zoomin Winner would remain at Sam Houston Race Park and make his next start in the Sam Houston Derby on September 6.

The Park continued live racing events on Saturday, August 2, with the featured race being the Woodland Stakes, presented by Ikon Office Solutions. A field of eight Quarter Horses was featured in the 870-yard stakes race. Jack Pudding, owned by A.D. Maddox and trained by James Gerhards, scored the victory by a commanding six-and-a-half lengths. Dewey Smith rode the Texas-bred gelding in his first victory at The Park, crossing the finish line in a time of :46.559.

“When you win, it’s great. I felt he came on strong at the end, and there wasn’t any dying out there; he ran it out,” commented trainer Gerhards. “We’ll keep him here in Houston and run him in another three-year-old race soon.”

This was the first stakes win for Jack Pudding, a son of Panther Mountain out of Variance. He was bred by Frannie Stewart. The horse was the second favorite with morning line odds of 7-2, behind Win D Lajolla.

“I felt the horse broke good. I started him off slow on the inside but knew I had to bounce the horse to the outside to have a chance to win,” stated winning jockey Smith. “I felt good after this morning’s workout and thought this horse had a great chance of winning tonight.”

Finishing second was Dashin Especially, trained by Kenny Teutsch and ridden by Gilbert Ortiz.

Jack Pudding returned $12.80, $6.00 and $4.40 across the board. Realclearrebeldasher ran a close third, followed by Mr American Leader, Win D Lajolla, Gol Meter, Feature Royalty and Injuns Money Raiser.

Live Quarter Horse racing continues with racing every Thursday, Friday and Saturday in August at Sam Houston Race Park.