(Saturday, May 15, 2010) - Sam Houston Race Park hosted an exciting weekend of live racing, with the Grade 3 $69,570 John Deere Texas Juvenile Challenge topping the nine-race card on Saturday, May 15, with favorite racer Awe Contraire taking home her second consecutive win at The Park. Awe Contraire (3-1) broke out the starting gate well, stayed back in the field and then launched a late surge to hit the wire first in a time of :17.560.

The two-year-old Texas-bred filly has proved talented at a young age, winning several races in Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma. The filly is trained by The Park’s current leading trainer, Eusevio Huitron, and was ridden to victory by jockey David Pinon.

“She did exactly what we talked about,” commented Huitron. “She breaks well, then takes her place in the pack and always turns on right at the finish. This was a big win for her, and we’ll all very happy.”

Maxing out at an incredible speed index of 102, Awe Contraire sent her betting fans home with a win payout of $5.40.

Gols Honey Money Pop finished second in the 350-yard race, with Unknown Source checking in third. They were followed past the wire by Mishaps Too, One N A Million, Prime Idol, Intocable Snow, Panchita Shake, and Duncan B.

Trials for the John Deere Texas Juvenile Challenge were run on April 30.

Saturday’s live racing event was followed by a performance from Houston’s own Blue October, with opening act The Black and White Years, as part of the Verizon Wireless Summer Concert Series on the Bud Light stage.