(Houston, Texas - Sunday, April 7, 2024) - Sam Houston Race Park will kick off its 2024 Quarter Horse racing season on Friday, April 19. The 25-day meet will continue through Saturday, June 15.

The stakes schedule will offer 16 features, including the running of the $150,000-added Sam Houston Futurity (G2) on Saturday, June 15. The notable list of Sam Houston Futurity champions includes War Colors, Azoom, All American Winner Snowy Alibi, Especially Tres, Ivan James and This Is An Eagle. Several winners have gone on to national prominence, including Kiss My Hocks, who won in 2014 and was honored as AQHA Champion Two-Year-Old Colt, and Trump My Record, who was named 2019 AQHA Champion Two-Year-Old Gelding.

Two regional AQHA Challenge stakes will be contested on Friday, May 10, with the winners of the John Deere Juvenile and Adequan Derby earning berths into the Bank of America Racing Challenge Championships.

Sam Houston Race Park will also pay tribute to three Texas horsemen who each made significant impact in Texas Quarter Horse racing and were strong supporters of Sam Houston Race Park since its opening in 1994. The $50,000 John Buchanan Memorial Stakes for three-year-old fillies will be run on Friday, May 10, as well as the $50,000-added Leon Bard Stakes for accredited Texas three-year-olds. The $50,000-added Jesse Yoakum Memorial 870 Stakes will be run on Saturday, June 15.

Racing will take place Thursday through Saturday evenings at 6:30 pm (Central), with special post times of 10:30 a.m. for Kentucky Derby Day on Saturday, May 4; and 1:00 p.m. for the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, May 18 and the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 8.

The racing office is under the direction of racing secretary Mike Acton; mike.acton@pennentertainment.com; phone (281) 807-8780; cell; (405) 886-6168; and fax:(281) 890-5485. The barn area opens on Monday, April 15 with training hours beginning on April 16.

"Quarter Horse racing and breeding is strong in Texas," said Acton. "We look forward to welcoming back our horsemen and presenting an excellent stakes schedule with plenty of opportunities for Texas-breds."

2024 Sam Houston Race Park Quarter Horse Stakes Schedule

Friday, May 10
$75,000 Sam Houston Classic(G2) 3 YO & Up 440 yards
$40,000 John Deere Juvenile(G3) 2 YO 350 yards
$40,000 Adequan Derby 3 YO 400 yards
$50,000 John Buchanan Memorial Stakes 3 YO Fillies 350 yards
$50,000 Leon Bard Memorial Stakes 3 YO 350 yards
$20,000 Colors of Houston Derby 3 YO 350 yards

Saturday, June 8
$40,000 Colors of Houston Futurity(G2) 2 YO 300 yards

Saturday, June 15
$150,000 Sam Houston Futurity (G2) 2 YO 330 yards
$50,000 Sam Houston Juvenile Stakes 2 YO 330 yards
$100,000 Sam Houston Derby (G3) 3 YO 350 yards
$50,000 Jesse Yoakum Memorial 870 Stakes 3 YO & Up 870 yards
$50,000 Willie Hickman Memorial Stakes 3 YO & Up 400 yards
$50,000 Miss Sam Houston Stakes F & M 3 YO & Up 330 yards
$50,000 Sam Houston 250 Stakes 3 YO & Up 250 yards
$50,000 Sam Houston 550 Stakes 3 YO & Up 550 yards
$20,000 Colors of Houston Maturity(G2) 3 YO 350 yards

All final purses will include added money, with the exception of the Sam Houston Juvenile.

2024 Quarter Horse Trial Dates

Thursday, April 19 Adequan Derby Challenge Trials

John Deere Juvenile Challenge Trials

Saturday, April 20 Colors of Houston Futurity

Thursday, May 23 Sam Houston Derby and Colors of Houston Futurity

Friday, May 24-Saturday, May 25 Sam Houston Futurity