Sam Houston raises overnight purses, adds turf stakes

Sam Houston Race Park has announced significant upgrades to its racing program for the Thoroughbred meet that opens in January, from a sizable increase in overnight purses to the creation of a new turf stakes for 3-year-olds. The track’s 39-date meet will start Jan. 10 and continue through March 28.

Sam Houston’s purses are projected to average $240,000 per program this meet, up from last year’s $140,000. Maiden special weight races have been boosted from $20,000 last meet to $36,000, while allowances that started at $21,000 last meet will now start at $37,000. In addition, purses for claiming races will be up 80 percent. Further, Sam Houston is racing seven more dates than its last meet for Thoroughbreds.

The increases are due to a new Texas law designed to help the state’s breeding and racing industry. It calls for a portion of existing taxes on specific horse products and services like feed, bedding, and boarding to be placed in an escrow account that will be capped at $25 million per year. The funds, which can in part be used for purses, started accruing Sept. 1. Sam Houston will put on the state's first meet in 2020.

“To be the first out of the gate to begin the process of improving racing in Texas is certainly an opportunity to which we look forward,” Frank Hopf, senior director of racing operations for Sam Houston, said in a press release issued Tuesday.

Sam Houston’s stakes schedule will be worth $1.75 million, up from $1.1 million in 2019. It will again be led by the Grade 3, $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic on Jan. 26. The 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares served as the 2019 season opener for Midnight Bisou.

The Houston Ladies Classic anchors the annual Houston Racing Festival card, which also includes the Grade 3, $200,000 John B. Connally Turf for 4-year-olds and up at 1 1/2 miles. The new Texas Turf Mile for 3-year-olds joins the lineup next year, and it will be worth $200,000. There are three additional stakes on the card that is worth a meet-high $950,000.

Texas Champions Preview Day will be held Feb. 22 and is comprised of four divisional statebred stakes, with each worth $75,000. Texas Champions Day is set for March 21. There will be seven stakes – one more than last year – and each will be worth $75,000. Last year, the Texas Champions Day stakes were each worth $50,000. The new offering this year is the Star of Texas, a mile race that has been resurrected with a new restriction. It is for fillies and mares.

James Leatherman has been named racing secretary for Sam Houston, for both the Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse meets. He also will continue to serve as racing secretary at Retama Park, a position he has held since 2005. Leatherman is a 29-year racing official, having served in the past at tracks in Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Ohio.

Stall applications for Sam Houston are due Nov. 5. The stable area will open Dec. 3.