(Tuesay, June 17, 2003) - Quarter Horses began arriving last week at Sam Houston Race Park for the tenth American Quarter Horse Meeting.

Racing officials at Sam Houston Race Park have issued stall assignments to 55 trainers with live racing scheduled to resume on Friday, June 27. The track reopened for training on Saturday, June 14.

Trainers expected to have a strong showing for the upcoming meeting include Janet Van Bebber, Toby Keeton, Ronald Gilmer, Heath Taylor, Kenneth Roberts, John Buchanan, Roy Roberts, Benny Pennington, Guy Hopkins, Michael Zingelmann and Anthony Arey. Van Bebber was the leading Quarter Horse trainer for the last two years at Sam Houston Race Park. She won a total of 34 races last summer with Keeton finishing second in the standings with 29 wins and Gilmer rounding out the top three with 22 wins.

Racing highlights for opening weekend include the running of the $10,000-added Harris County Stakes on Friday, June 27 for Texas-bred fillies and mares. On Saturday, June 28, Sam Houston Race Park will host trials for the Bayer Legend Texas Challenge (G3) as well as the $10,000-added Stephen F. Austin Stakes. The Saturday night card will also feature trials for the TQHA Sales Futurity (RG1) for 2-year-olds purchased at the 2002 TQHA Yearling Sale.

In addition to the excitement of live American Quarter Horse racing, Sam Houston Race Park will host plenty of special events and the popular Jiffy Lube Texas Music Revolution. The country music series presented by 100.3 KILT, American Airlines, Budweiser and Coca-Cola will feature ten accomplished artists beginning with the legendary Jerry Jeff Walker on Friday, June 27. Walker is best known for his honky-tonk classic, "Up Against the Wall, Redneck Mother" and recently released the 20th Century Masters-The Millennium Collection: The Best of Jerry Jeff Walker, which features his greatest hits including "Gettin’ By", "Sangria Wine" and "Leavin’ Texas".

The 2003 Sam Houston Race Park Quarter Horse meeting will continue each Thursday – Sunday evening through Saturday, September 6, 2003. Information on racing, simulcasting, concerts and promotions are available on the Sam Houston Race Park web site, www.shrp.com.