Snowy Alibi, who swept the two major futurities for Quarter Horses last year at Sam Houston Race Park, will help open the new meet Friday night when he starts in a trial race for the Grade 3 Texas Derby Challenge. The 35-date Quarter Horse season will run through Sept. 8. Friday night's card also features trials for the Grade 3 Texas Distance Challenge and the Grade 3 Texas Distaff Challenge. The finales are set for July 14, when six stakes will be run, led by the Grade 1, $100,000 Texas Challenge Championship at 440 yards. Sam Houston has scheduled 29 stakes. Highlights include the Grade 1, $100,000 Sam Houston Futurity on Sept. 7; the $100,000 TQHA Sale Futurity, a restricted Grade 1, on July 28; and the Grade 2, $50,000 Sam Houston Classic on Aug. 31.