Meet opens with cloud of financial uncertainty in Texas

Politics have dominated the talk in Texas since a one-day shutdown of racing in September, but the conversation will shift to the action on the racetrack Friday night, when Sam Houston opens for a 32-date meet.

The richest Thoroughbred race in the state, the $400,000 Houston Ladies Classic, will be run as a graded event for the first time Jan. 30, while the same card will feature a new, 1 1/2-mile distance for the Grade 3, $200,000 John B. Connally Turf Cup.

There’s also anticipation for Saturday night’s Eclipse Awards as the Houston-owned Runhappy is a finalist for Horse of the Year and the front-runner for champion sprinter.

Sam Houston is scheduled to race through March 8, but the Texas Racing Commission is operating on a temporary funding plan that ends Feb. 29. At issue is historical racing, which has been passed by the commission but objected to by some of the state’s political leaders. Sam Houston is party to an appeal of a judge’s ruling stating that the commission did not have the authority to approve historical racing, while the Texas Horsemen’s Partnership last week took legal action seeking the release of funds to the commission in order to avoid another shutdown. A hearing in the THP case is set for Feb. 3.

As the legal efforts proceed, Sam Houston officials are focusing on improving off a 2015 season in which the track had seven dates when it handled $2 million or more from all sources, according to Andrea Young, the track’s president. Those numbers were up from one such date in 2014.

“There is concern, [but] we have a business to run, and that’s what we’re going to do,” Young said. “We’re optimistic that no one is going to shut down Texas racing. We believe our state leaders care about Texas racing, and a solution that benefits everyone will be found.”

Sam Houston will put on the richest Thoroughbred card in Texas on Jan. 30, led by the Houston Ladies Classic. The program features four stakes in all worth a total of $775,000. The Houston Ladies Classic is for fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles. It received Grade 3 status in December.

“The fact that we did it in three years, we’re thrilled,” said Young. “We think obviously with the grade on there, it’s going to increase the quality of horses that we continue to see for the race. We’re real proud of our team getting that done. Getting a graded race is no easy thing in Texas.”

Young said the Houston Ladies Classic will again be part of an all-stakes pick four with a $100,000-guaranteed pool. There will be a special first post of 5 p.m. Central on Jan. 30.

Sam Houston, which is starting its meet earlier this year due to the way the calendar falls, will put on 20 stakes worth a total of $1.8 million at this meet. Other major cards during the season include the Texas Champions Day weekend of seven stakes, moved to the second week of the meet Jan. 22-23, and the Maxxam Gold Cup program of four stakes Feb. 27.

Sam Houston will race Friday and Saturday nights and Monday and Tuesday afternoons. The track will again offer a reduced 12 percent takeout on multirace wagers, said Young.