(May 8, 2003) - The tenth season of live American Quarter Horse racing will begin on Friday, June 27 at Sam Houston Race Park. The 43-day meeting will feature live racing each Thursday - Sunday with 7:00 p.m. post times for Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings and a 5:00 p.m. post time for Sunday.

Racing secretary Eric Johnston announced that Sam Houston Race Park will offer 29 stakes races with purses in excess of $1,000,000. One of the highlights of the meeting will be the Texas Summer Showdown, which will take place on Friday, July 25, 2003. This event has grown in prominence each year and five stakes races will be on the evening card with a record $175,000 in purses for three-year-olds and up. This premier weekend of racing also includes the TQHA Yearling Sale in the Pavilion Centre on Saturday morning and trials for the TQHA Sires’ Cup Futurity set for Saturday evening.

"We look forward to an outstanding meeting highlighted by the Texas Summer Showdown and the Sam Houston Futurity and Sam Houston Derby," said Johnston. "Sam Houston Race Park offers one of the longer American Quarter Horse meetings in the Southwest and know horsemen look forward to running here. Our office has received stall applications from Janet Van Bebber, Kenneth Roberts, Heath Taylor, Duane Hartsell, John Buchanan, Toby Keeton and many other accomplished trainers."

"Sam Houston Race Park continues to do a fine job supporting the Quarter Horse industry and Texas racing," said Rob Werstler, director of the Texas Quarter Horse Association (TQHA). "With their blessing we have decided to move the Texas Summer Showdown to Friday night instead of Saturday. This should make an even greater impact on the outstanding weekend as many many horsemen from around the country travel to Houston on Friday to preview the yearlings for the TQHA Yearling Sale. They should enjoy the five stakes races on Friday followed by the TQHA Yearling Sale on Saturday and trials for the TQHA Sires’ Cup Futurity that evening."

Stall applications are currently being accepted and are due by Friday, May 23, 2003. Horsemen who are interested in running horses at Sam Houston Race Park this summer may contact the Racing Office at 1-800-807-RACE. Stall applications, stakes schedules and condition books are available on the Sam Houston Race Park web site www.shrp.com.

2003 Sam Houston Race Park Quarter Horse Stakes Schedule

June
Fri., June 27, $10,000Harris County Stakes, FM3&up (TX), 350 Yards
(Accredited Texas Breds Fillies And Mares Three Years Old And Upward - $10,000 Added, Stakes Closing Wednesday, June 18, 2003)
Sat., June 28, $10,000Stephen F. Austin Stakes, 3YO&up (TX), 350 Yards
(Accredited Texas Breds Three Years Old And Upward - $10,000 Added, Stakes Closing Wednesday, June 18, 2003)

July
Sat., July 5, $10,000 Gulf Coast Stakes, 3YO (TX), 350 Yards
(Accredited Texas Breds Three Years Old - $10,000 Added, Stakes Closing Wednesday, June 25, 2003)
Sun., July 6, $10,000 Harrisburg Handicap, 3&up, 550 Yards
(Three Years Old And Upward - $10,000 Added, Stakes Closing Wednesday, June 25, 2003)
Sat., July 12, $80,000 MBNA Texas Challenge Championship (G1), 3&up, 440 Yards
(Three Years Old And Upward - $80,000 Added, Stakes Closing Monday May 5, 2003 - Trials Saturday, June 28, 2003)
Sat., July 12, $35,000 Bayer Legend Texas Challenge (G3), 3YO, 400 Yards
(Three Year Olds - $35,000 Added, Stakes Closing Thursday May 1, 2003 - Trials Friday, June 27, 2003)
Sat., July 12, $100,000 TQHA Sales Futurity (RG1), 2YO (TX), 350 Yards
(Accredited Texas Breds Two Years Old - $100,000 Added,Stakes Closing Friday December 6, 2002 - Trials Saturday, June 28, 2003)
Sun., July 13, $30,000 Dixie Stallion Stakes Futurity (RG3), 2YO, 350 Yards
(Two Year Olds - $30,000 Added, Stakes Closing Saturday March 15, 2003 - Trials Sunday, June 29, 2003)
Sat., July 19, $10,000 Miss Houston Stakes, F3YO (TX), 350 Yards
(Accredited Texas Breds Fillies, Three Years Old - $10,000 Added, Stakes Closing Wednesday, July 9, 2003)
Sun., July 20, $15,000 Professionals Choice Texas Challenge, 3&up, 350 Yards
(Three Years Old And Upward - $15,000 Added, Stakes Closing Sunday May 11, 2003 - Trials Friday, July 4, 2003)
Fri., July 25, $15,000 John Deere Texas Challenge (G3), 3&up, 870 Yards
(Three Years Old And Upward - $15,000 Added, Stakes Closing Monday May 19, 2003 - Trials Sunday, July 13, 2003)
Fri., July 25, $40,000 Barnmaster Sprint Stakes (RG3), 3&up, 250 Yards
(Three Years Old And Upward - $40,000 Added, Stakes Closing Wednesday July 16, 2003)
Fri., July 25, $20,000 TQHA Starter Stakes, 3&up, 350 Yards
(Three Years Old And Upward - $20,000 Added, Stakes Closing Wednesday July 16, 2003)
Fri., July 25, $40,000Classic Chevrolet Stakes (RG3), 3&up, 400 Yards
(Three Years Old And Upward - $40,000 Added, Stakes Closing Wednesday July 16, 2003)
Fri., July 25, $40,000 TQHA "550" Stakes (RG3), 3&up, 550 Yards
(Three Years Old And Upward - $40,000 Added, Stakes Closing Wednesday July 16, 2003)

August
Sat., Aug. 2, $10,000 Woodlands Stakes, 3YO, 870 Yards
(Three Year Olds - $10,000 Added, Stakes Closing Wednesday, July 23, 2003)
Sat., Aug. 2, $5,000 Spotted - Dotted Stakes, 2YO P&A, 350 Yards
(Two Year Olds, Paints & Appaloosas- $5,000 Added,Stakes Closing Wednesday, July 23, 2003)
Sun., Aug. 3, $15,000 Sam Houston Maiden Classic, 3,4&5YO M, 350 Yards
(Three, Four & Five Year Old Maidens, as of July 1, 2003 - $15,000 Added, Stakes Closing Tuesday, July 1, 2003 - Trials Friday, July 18, 2003)
Fri., Aug. 8, $25,000 TQHA Sires' Cup Derby (RG3), 3YO, 400 Yards
(Three Year Olds - $25,000 Added, Stakes Closing Tuesday, April 15, 2003 - Trials Friday, July 25, 2003)
Sat., Aug. 9, $50,000 TQHA Sires' Cup Futurity (RG2), 2YO, 350 Yards
(Two Year Olds - $50,000 Added, Stakes Closing Tuesday, April 15, 2003 - Trials Saturday, July 26, 2003)
Sat., Aug. 16, $15,000 TQHA Sires' Cup Stakes, 3&up, 400 Yards
(Three Years Old And Upward - $15,000 Added, Stakes Closing Wednesday August 6, 2003)
Sun., Aug. 17, $10,000 Rio Grande Handicap, 3YO&up, 1,000 Yards
(Three Year Olds And Upward - $10,000 Added, Stakes Closing Wednesday, August 6, 2003)
Sat., Aug. 23, $15,000 Bluebonnet Stakes, FM3&up, 440 Yards
(Fillies And Mares Three Years Old And Upward - $15,000 Added, Stakes Closing Wednesday, August 13, 2003)
Fri., Aug. 29, $50,000 Sam Houston Classic (G2), 3&up, 440 Yards
(Three Years Old And Upward - $50,000 Added, Stakes Closing Wednesday August 20, 2003)
Sat., Aug. 30, $35,000 Governors' Cup Marathon (G3), 3&up, 870 Yards
(Three Years Old And Upward - $35,000 Added, Stakes Closing Wednesday August 20, 2003)

September
Fri., Sept. 5, $5,000 Paint N' Appy Big Cap, 3&up P&A, 400 Yards
(Three Year Olds And Upward, Paints & Appaloosas - $5,000 Added, Stakes Closing Wednesday, August 27, 2003)
Sat., Sept. 6, $100,000 Sam Houston Futurity (G1), 2YO, 400 Yards
(Two Year Olds - $100,000 Added, Stakes Closing Friday, March 7, 2003 - Trials Friday, August 22, 2003)
Sat., Sept. 6, $35,000 Sam Houston Derby (G2), 3YO, 440 Yards
(Three Year Olds - $35,000 Added, Stakes Closing Friday, March 7, 2003 - Trials Saturday, August 23, 2003)
Sat., Sept. 6, $10,000 Colors Of Houston Futurity (G3), 2YO P&A, 350 Yards
(Three Year Olds, Paints & Appaloosas - $10,000 Added, Stakes Closing Saturday, March 1, 2003 - Trials Saturday, August 16, 2003).