Texan Juvenile off schedule this year

The $200,000-added Connally Breeders' Cup again leads the 27-race, $1.6 million stakes schedule at Sam Houston Race Park for 2005-2006, but the track has made one major change to its annual $500,000 Texas Champions Day card Nov. 19.

The $150,000 Sam Houston Texan Juvenile, which was the lone open-company race on what is the richest card of the meet, will not be run in 2005.

"There's a couple of factors," said Eric Johnston, racing secretary at Sam Houston. He said they include "increased competition over the last couple of years for those kind of horses in this region, and we just felt like it's better off using that money in our overnight schedule."

The Juvenile was first run in 2000. A few years later, nearby Delta Downs introduced a $500,000 stakes for 2-year-olds. The Delta Jackpot, now worth $1 million, is run each December, with a $100,000 prep in November.

The Connally, at 1 1/8 miles on turf, is the richest race of the Sam Houston meet, and it will again share a card with two other turf stakes. Another big night will be Jan. 21, when the track hosts the $100,000 Maxxam Gold Cup and the $40,000 Distaff.

"That's been very successful for us," said Johnston.

Sam Houston's meet will run 82 dates, from Oct. 28 to April 9. Daily purses will average more than $92,000.