Cox, several others among new trainer faces at Sam Houston

Trainer Brad Cox, who won four Breeders’ Cup races earlier this month at Keeneland, is among the new faces who have been granted stalls at Sam Houston Race Park, according to an official. The meet will open Jan. 8.

Sam Houston received requests for 2,300 stalls, according to Chris McErlean, vice president of racing for Penn National Gaming, the parent company of Sam Houston. He said the track has 1,124 stalls. Sam Houston allotted stalls to 60 different trainers, according to McErlean.

“I think the Houston meet is going to be very strong,” he said.

Cox was granted 40 stalls. Other new faces granted stalls include Todd Fincher, a perennial leading trainer in New Mexico. Fincher said he will have 24 horses on hand for the Sam Houston meet and plans to continue to base at Sunland Park.

Others granted stalls for the meet include Steve Asmussen, Karl Broberg, Bret Calhoun, Robertino Diodoro, Mike Maker, and Danny Pish.

McErlean said the stable area opens Nov. 28.

:: Want to get your Past Performances for free? Click to learn more.

** Retama Park near San Antonio will operate as a training center from Dec. 1-Aug. 15, the track announced. There are various fee schedules for use of the facility, which is about a three-hour drive from sister track Sam Houston. Retama will conduct a 20-date meet for Quarter Horses next year, from June 24-Aug. 7.

** There are more than 125 horses cataloged to the Texas Winter Mixed Sale to be held Dec. 6 at Lone Star Park. The auction featuring broodmares, weanlings, yearlings, and horses of racing age is a joint venture between Lone Star and the Texas Thoroughbred Association.

** New Mexico has put new statewide restrictions in place due to the coronavirus pandemic that will force Zia Park to suspend racing through Nov. 30. The track remains open for training. Zia is scheduled to race through Dec. 23.

** The New Mexico racing calendar for 2021 has been approved, but the dates are subject to change due to the pandemic, according to the New Mexico Racing Commission. Sunland has been granted 42 dates from Dec. 26, 2020 through March 30, 2021; SunRay Park, 17 dates from April 23-May 24; Ruidoso Downs, 50 dates from May 21-Sept. 6; Downs at Albuquerque, 35 dates from July 31-Oct. 23; and Zia, 36 dates from Sept. 27-Dec. 15.