Richest race highlights Lone Star meet

The richest race in Texas will be held during Lone Star Park's upcoming fall meet for Quarter Horses. The Grade 1, $1 million Texas Classic Futurity is set for Nov. 13 as part of a 14-race stakes schedule worth more than $2.5 million. Lone Star will open its 26-night meet Sept. 17. The season runs to Nov. 13.

The Texas Classic Futurity, at 400 yards, will share a program with the Grade 1, $400,000-estimated Texas Classic Derby. Other top events include the Grade 1, $500,000 Dash for Cash Futurity and the Grade 2, $200,000 Dash for Cash Derby, both on Oct. 9.

Lone Star's stakes schedule could get off to a historic start, with the first major race, the Grade 1, $100,000 Refrigerator Handicap on Oct. 2, serving as the possible stage for Stolis Winner's bid to become Quarter Horse racing's all-time leading earner. Heath Taylor, who trains the horse, said last month that Stolis Winner could make his next start in the race. The horse is $28,579 in earnings from surpassing record-holder Refrigerator, who took in $2,126,309 while winning three runnings of the prestigious Champion of Champions from 1992-94.

Taylor is among the trainers at Lone Star for the meet, while Paul Jones, a perennial national leader, is expected to have a small division on hand, said Lone Star racing secretary Jeanette Hughes.