Houston Ladies Classic set for Jan. 27

The Grade 3 Houston Ladies Classic will be run Jan. 27 at Sam Houston, according to a press release from the track. The race will again share a program with the Grade 3 John B. Connally Turf Cup.

The special Sunday program will have a first post of 1 p.m. Central.

The purse for the Houston Ladies Classic, which is for fillies and mares, will be announced when the stakes schedule is released, according to Frank Hopf, senior director of racing operations for Sam Houston. This year, the race was worth $400,000 and was run at 1 1/16 miles.

Sam Houston opens for a 32-date Thoroughbred meet on Jan. 25. The track’s 25th anniversary season will run through March 30. Sam Houston will race every Friday and Saturday night and also will have eight Wednesday cards with a noon first post beginning Feb. 6 and three Tuesday cards that start at noon beginning March 12.

Texas Champions Day will be held March 23 rather than its traditional opening weekend slot and will be a one-day event rather than stretching across two cards as in the past.