(March 28, 2006) - Sam Houston Race Park will host the $200,000 Connally Breeders’ Cup Turf Race on Saturday, April 8, 2006. In its twelfth running, the Connally Breeders' Cup Turf has been upgraded to Grade III status and is the richest stakes of the Sam Houston Race Park Thoroughbred meeting. In addition to the Grade III Connally Breeders' Cup Turf, the evening will feature two other stakes races, the $40,000 Jersey Lilly Stakes and the $40,000 Sam Houston Turf Sprint.

As an annual promotion for this stellar night of racing, Sam Houston Race Park will host the Connally Breeders’ Cup Online Handicapping Contest. The contest is open to all racing fans, 21-years of age or older, with a total of $1,000 in prizes to the top four finishers.

There is no entry fee for Connally Breeders’ Cup Online Handicapping Contest. Each contestant will be required to make win, place and show selections for the evening’s featured stakes, plus one additional race from the Saturday night card. Registration will take place on the Sam Houston Race Park web site, www.shrp.com beginning Thursday, April 6 at 3:00 p.m. with the deadline to enter at 7:00 on Saturday, April 8.

The player who earns the highest cumulative total based on the $2 win, $2 place and $2 show selections, will be awarded $500. The second place finisher will receive $300, $150 for the player in third and $50 to the fourth place contestant.

For more information and a complete set of rules for the Connally Breeders’ Cup Online Handicapping Contest, please call 281-807-8760 or visit the Sam Houston Race Park website at www.shrp.com.

Nominations close March 29 for the Grade III Connally Breeders’ Cup Turf

Nominations close Wednesday for the $200,000 Connally Breeders’ Cup Turf, the richest race of the 2005/2006 Sam Houston Race Park Thoroughbred meeting. The running of this prestigious turf race as well as two additional stakes will take place on Saturday, April 8.

Defending champion, Rapid Proof, trained by Hal Wiggins, is expected to compete in the Grade III Connally Breeders' Cup Turf. The draw for the Connally, $40,000 Jersey Lilly Stakes and the $40,000 Sam Houston Turf Sprint will take place on Wednesday, April 5.

Pat Day Makes Appearance at Sam Houston Race Park

Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day made an appearance last Sunday at Sam Houston Race Park. He was in Houston as part of the Race Track Chaplaincy of America’s Chaplains School and Annual Meeting and delivered the sermon at the worship service entitled “Helping People Run the Race”.

Day arrived early and greeted over 150 attendees at the service. Always popular in Houston, Day rode at Sam Houston Race Park on many occasions, winning the 1994 Sam Houston Oaks aboard Two Altazano, competing in eight runnings of the Connally Breeders' Cup Turf and even winning his first ever Quarter Horse race, guiding Turbo Tex to victory in a Quarter Horse match race entitled “A Match Made in Heaven” in 2004. Day was asked if he missed his career in the saddle.

“I was blessed with a wonderful career for 32 years,” replied Day. “I don’t miss racing; not a bit. Now I have embraced a new calling and could not be happier. This is a career that I will never retire from; until I take my last breath I will be spreading the word of Jesus Christ and helping those in need.”

Filemon Rodriguez is Coca-Cola Jockey of the Month

Rider Filemon Rodriguez will be honored as the Coca-Cola Jockey of the Month following Friday night’s first race.

Rodriguez, 39, is currently fourth in the standings with 56 wins and has had a very solid meet at Sam Houston Race Park. He is the regular rider of Chit Chat Pam, who scored stakes victories in the $30,000 Cy-Fair Stakes as well as the $125,000 Two Altazano. He also won the $40,000 Tomball Stakes on February 11 with Shons Secret.

Jockey, Trainer and Owner Standings

Quincy Hamilton won five races last week and appears to be on the verge of securing his second leading rider title at Sam Houston Race Park. Hamilton now has a total of 76 wins and $732,844 in earnings. Glen Murphy added four wins last week, including a victory aboard Dodd in the $40,000 Houston Ladies Stakes, to remain in second place with 70 wins. Larry Taylor guided Tour De France to the wire in the Grade III Texas Six Shooter for Arabian colts and geldings last Saturday. Taylor has a total of 64 wins. Filemon Rodriguez is in fourth place with 56 victories. Justin Shepherd is in fifth place in the jockey standings with 38 wins.

Danny Pish saddled two winners last week and continues to lead in the trainer standings with a total of 47 wins and $566,380 in earnings. John Locke continues to have an excellent meet and remains in second place with 43 victories. W. Bret Calhoun won three races last week and is third with 42 wins and Steve Asmussen follows with 38wins. Brent Davidson rounds out the top five with 30 wins.

Shrum Racing, Inc. and Jim Bausch are tied for the lead in the owner standings with 13 wins each. Charles Hukill follows with 10 victories. Stephen Baker, Nelco Farms, Israel Flores and Richard Bird are tied with nine wins each.

Road to the Kentucky Derby Contest Underway at Sam Houston Race Park

Sam Houston Race Park is now in halfway through the Road to the Kentucky Derby handicapping contest. The contest started on March 4 and continues every Saturday through April 22. The eight-week contest offers $4,800 in cash prizes and is open to all racing fans, 21-years of age or older.

Contestants will make mythical $2 win and place wagers on all of the major prep races leading to the Kentucky Derby.

Registration begins every Saturday at 10:30 a.m. until the official deadline, which will be prior to the post time of the first contest race.

The winners will be determined by the highest cumulative bankroll from all $2 win and place bets from each week’s contest. The contest is not limited to VIP Club members, but the prize money is double for all winning finishers who are members. The winner, if a VIP member will receive $1,000, second place finisher will receive $500, $300 will go the third place contestant and the fourth place participant will be awarded $200. Non-VIP Club members will receive $500 for first place, $250 for second, $150 for third and $100 for fourth. Weekly prizes will also be awarded to the three highest weekly bankrolls.

VIP Member Kirk Evans was awarded $200 for finishing first in week four of the contest. Evans’ total bankroll was $137.80. Dolores Schutzenhofer was awarded $50 for her second place finish with a $27.60 bankroll, and was matched by Reagan Valley and Alonzo Lewis who each received $25.

To become a VIP Club Member, visit the Player’s Lounge in the Grandstand or call 281-807-8760. More information regarding the Road to the Kentucky Derby handicapping contest may also be obtained by calling 281-807-8760, or by visiting www.shrp.com.

Winners Announced in Sam Houston Race Park’s King of the Hill Contest

Sam Houston Race Park’s King of the Hill Handicapping Contest was held last Thursday. The contest asked participants to handicap four races from the Sam Houston Race Park live Thoroughbred race card. The rules or qualifications for each of the four races varied, adding an entertaining challenge to the handicapping.

The contest produced four winners: Sandra Montgomery, Trey Stiles, Jimmy Ray and Edgar Carrillo. Each of the winners received $100 for successfully satisfying the changing qualifications.

For more information about upcoming contests, visit www.shrp.com.

Thursday $1.00 Beer and Dining Specials Continue at Sam Houston Race Park

Sam Houston Race Park continues it’s fabulous Thursday offerings of $1 beer and the popular $12.99 Seafood Platter. The Seafood Platter is offered in the Winner’s Circle Restaurant and includes fried catfish, shrimp and oysters with french fries, hush puppies, cole slaw and all the fixings. The Winner’s Circle Restaurant also offers a $12.99 Steak Dinner on Sunday evenings, which includes a salad, garlic mashed potatoes and vegetables.

To make reservations in the Winner’s Circle Restaurant, call 281-870-8760 or visit www.shrp.com.

Florida Derby Headlines Simulcasting This Weekend at Sam Houston Race Park

Simulcast action continues this weekend and racing fans can watch and wager on the $1 Million Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park. The Grade 1 stakes has attracted the undefeated Barbaro, trained by Michael Matz as well as Sunriver and Saint Augustus from the barn of Todd Pletcher.

The 55th running of the Florida Derby for 3-year-olds is part of Gulfstream Park’s Spectacular Saturday IV card that also includes the $150,000 Orchid Handicap, the $150,000 Captain Morgan Pan Am Handicap, the $100,000 Skip Away Handicap, the $100,000 Artax Handicap, the $75,000 Lure Stakes and the $75,000 Spectacular Bid.

For a complete listing of simulcast tracks and post time, visit the Sam Houston Race Park website, www.shrp.com, or call (281) 807-8740.