(Grand Prairie, Texas - Thursday, January 26, 2012) - Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie announced the track's 2012 Spring Thoroughbred Season features 12 stakes, down from 19 in 2011, including two graded stakes, with purses totaling $1.3 million.

The two premiere events on the 2012 Lone Star Park stakes calendar are the Grade 3, $200,000 Texas Mile for 3-year-olds and up to be run Saturday, April 28 and the Grade 3, $300,000 Lone Star Park Handicap for 3-year-olds and up at 1-1/16 miles to be run Monday, May 28 (Memorial Day). In 2011 there were three Grade 3 races run at Lone Star Park, including the Ouija Board at a mile over turf for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up.

"We took a long hard look at our purse structure and felt the best way to support local horseman was to make some difficult cuts to our stakes program," said Lone Star Park President and General Manager Drew Shubeck. "Eliminating stakes from our calendar was a difficult but necessary decision in order to preserve overnight purses as we attempt to remain competitive with tracks in neighboring states that have purses supplemented by gaming."

Texas-breds and progeny of Texas Stallions will be showcased in four stakes races Saturday, July 7 in the 12th annual Stars of Texas Day. The program will be highlighted by two divisions of the $100,000 Texas Stallion Stakes (2-year-old fillies and colts and geldings going 5-1/2 furlongs and the $50,000 Assault Stakes (Texas-bred 3-year-olds and up at one mile) and the $50,000 Valor Farm Stakes (Texas-bred fillies and mares, 3-years-old and up at 6-furlongs).

The introduction of the Global Gaming Triple, a three-race series linking the Grade 3, $200,000 Texas Mile, Grade 3, $300,000 Lone Star Park Handicap, and the $200,000 Governor's Cup for 3-year-olds and up at 1-1/8 miles at Remington Park Saturday, August 18, seeks to provide horseman additional incentive to compete in all three stakes.

Global Gaming Solutions, owner of both Lone Star Park and Remington Park, has increased the purse of the Governor's Cup from $100,000 to $200,000 to anchor the series and will offer a $20,000 bonus to be split equally among owner and trainer of the horse that accumulates the most points in the three stakes. A horse must compete in all three designated races to be eligible for bonus money, and points will be awarded to the first through fourth place finishers on a 5-3-2-1 basis.

"We are excited to introduce the Global Gaming Triple linking our major races for older horses with the Governor's Cup at Remington Park," said Director of Racing at Lone Star Park, Bart Lang. "The new series emphasizes the commitment from Global Gaming to improve the racing product at both tracks to benefit horseman and fans."

Other key Spring Thoroughbred Season dates will be simulcasts of the Triple Crown: the Kentucky Derby from Churchill Downs Saturday, May 5, the Preakness Stakes from Pimlico Race Course Saturday, May 19 and the Belmont Stakes from Belmont Park Saturday, June 9.

Additionally, Lone Star Park has scheduled 53 live racing dates in 2012, up from 52 in 2011.

Lone Star Park's 53-day 2012 Spring Thoroughbred Season opens Thursday, April 12 and concludes Sunday, July 8. Live racing will be held four days a week with a first-race post-time of 6:35 p.m. for Thursday and Friday night programs (except Thursday, May 31 and Thursday, July 5 when there will be no live racing), and every Saturday and Sunday with a first-race post-time of 1:35 p.m. Live racing will be conducted Monday, May 28 (Memorial Day) with a first-race post-time of 1:35 p.m. Special twilight programs Tuesday, July 3 and Wednesday, July 4 (Lone Stars & Stripes Fireworks Celebration) will begin at 5 p.m. Lone Star Park also has a Quarter Horse Season in the fall of each year. For more information, visit www.LoneStarPark.com.

Following is Lone Star Park's Thoroughbred Stakes Schedule for 2012: