Sam Houston: Bork heads honorees

Bob Bork, president of Sam Houston Race Park, has been named the Texas Thoroughbred Association's member of the year for his efforts to bring the inaugural Great State Challenge to Texas.

The series, which featured horses from around the country in six divisional stakes, was held last month, and handle on the program exceeded $5 million, a record for Sam Houston.

Also honored by the TTA during a ceremony earlier this month was Joe Archer, who was named breeder of the year. He bred the Texas horse of the year, Leo's Last Hurrahy, who in November won the $150,000 Sam Houston Texan Juvenile.

Keith and Marilyn Asmussen, parents of Steve Asmussen, Sam Houston's leading trainer, were given a lifetime achievement award, and trainer Les Nichols was given a humanitarian award for raising funds for the families of the victims of 9/11 by riding his Texas-bred J.J.'s Cowboy from the Alamo to Ground Zero.