Sam Houston plans to race during day in 2023

Sam Houston Race Park plans to conduct daytime racing during its upcoming Thoroughbred meet in one of a handful of changes for the new season that starts Jan. 6.

The 43-date meet runs through April 8.

Sam Houston will race Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with a first post of 1 p.m. Central. The start time will be the same for two holiday Monday cards in January and February. Sam Houston also is moving one of its signature races, the Grade 3 Houston Ladies Classic, from a Sunday card to a Saturday.

The shift to daytime racing comes during an ongoing impasse between the Texas Racing Commission and federal Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority that has led to restrictions on exporting Thoroughbred signals from Texas.

Sam Houston’s move to daytime racing puts the track’s live card in front of an already established market at Sam Houston.

“We’re obviously in a different situation than in previous years and what we were looking for is the best way to maximize our ontrack opportunities and that meant times where we have the most simulcast players on-site as well,” said Frank Hopf, assistant general manager of Sam Houston. “Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are our busiest days for simulcasting, so we tried to tie that in with what we’re going to do with the live racing schedule.”

The dates have clearance from the commission staff and are to be formally approved during the agency’s next meeting in December.

Sam Houston’s signal is scheduled to be restricted to Texas racetracks and international sites like Woodbine and South America – unless there is a change in the status between the commission and HISA. The commission announced in June it would not allow the state’s Thoroughbred races to be simulcast out of state so as not to fall under the jurisdiction of HISA. As such, Sam Houston’s races are scheduled to be conducted only under the jurisdiction of the racing commission, which the agency said is state law.

Sam Houston has made some tweaks to its calendar and stakes schedule to best maintain the continuity of its program, which has been surging the past several seasons.

“Part of putting the calendar and schedule together was to keep purse levels that we’ve had the last couple years relatively intact and try to keep the stakes program intact as well,” Hopf said.

Sam Houston is scheduled to race seven less dates than last season, but the number is still up from 32 in 2019 and 35 in 2020. In addition, purses for some of the open stakes have been reduced, with the Houston Ladies Classic – bumped up to $400,000 last season when won by eventual Grade 1 winner Pauline’s Pearl – back at $300,000.

The Houston Ladies Classic for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles will again anchor the Houston Racing Festival card when it is renewed Jan. 28. The program of five stakes includes the Grade 3, $200,000 John B. Connally Turf Cup for 4-year-olds and up at 1 1/2 miles and the $100,000 Bob Bork Turf Mile for 3-year-olds. The stakes purses will total $800,000.

The $700,000 Texas Champions Day on March 25 will feature seven divisional stakes for Texas-breds, with each race worth $100,000. The Texas Preview card of preps for Texas Champions Day features five stakes Feb. 18. Each race is worth $75,000.

Hopf said there will be a number of marketing initiatives to enhance the ontrack crowd and get as many eyes as possible on the live races at Sam Houston.

“We’re taking full advantage of moving to daytime racing – something we have not done very much for a long time,” Hopf said. “We’ll see if we can build something here in the Houston market while we’re in the situation.

“We are able to export our signal internationally. We’re going to send our signal to as many outlets as we can, hoping to grow some of that market, too.”

Hopf said Bart Lang, a seasoned racing executive, has been brought on as director of racing for Sam Houston. Stall applications are due Nov. 10.

“We’re moving forward as things stand now,” Hopf said. “If something changes before or during the meet, we’ll make whatever adjustments we feel will work better for us.

“We’re happy that we’re able to put something together that we’ve been able to do the last couple of years and continue that, and you know, see what opportunities come from this new schedule.”

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