Sam Houston hires Crawford as new racing secretary
Matt Crawford has been named the new racing secretary at Sam Houston, the track announced. The Thoroughbred meet opens Jan. 20. Crawford comes to Sam Houston after serving in the same capacity at Delta Downs in Vinton, La.
Delta, which is in the midst of a Thoroughbred meet, expects to name a new racing secretary in the next week, Chris Warren, the track’s director of racing, said Tuesday.
Crawford was a trainer before becoming a racing official. He has been the racing secretary at Delta and Hialeah and was an assistant racing secretary at such tracks as Fair Grounds, Lone Star Park, and Louisiana Downs.
Crawford replaces Fred Hutton, who left the position to pursue other opportunities in racing, according to a release from Sam Houston.
The track’s most prestigious card is Jan. 29, with the running of the Grade 3, $400,000 Houston Ladies Classic and the Grade 3, $250,000 John B. Connally Turf Cup. There will be a special post of noon Central.