(Friday, June 27, 2008) - More than 7,400 fans came out to Sam Houston Race Park to cheer on qualifiers for the $18,000+ Fort Dodge Texas Starter Allowance Challenge Trials and the $20,000+ Merial Texas Distaff Challenge Trials, along with the debut of the summer Verizon Wireless Post-Race Concert series on the Bud Light Stage with Texas-country music star Robert Earl Keen on Friday, June 27.

The $18,000+ Fort Dodge Texas Starter Allowance Challenge Trials featured three-year-olds going neck-and-neck for 350 yards in hopes of qualifying for the final on Saturday, July 12 at The Park. One Game Chick, owned by Keith Renfro and ridden by Alfonso Lujan, crossed the finish line first in the sixth race with a time of :17.961 to secur her spot as the fastest qualifier. Last year, Lujan finished first in wins in the nation among all American Quarter Horse jockeys, with a total of 200 wins and purses of $3 million. The 3-year-old filly is trained by Janet Van Bebber, who boasts a number awards for her amazing skill in training American Quarter Horses. Van Bebber was the leading trainer at The Park for five consecutive years, and since the track's opening has garnered 12 Quarter Horse training titles, along with being named last year’s ninth leading Quarter Horse trainer in the nation.

Grabbing the second qualifying position with a time of :18.111 was Gone Shazoom, ridden by Juan Vazquez and trained by K. C. Carden.

For the $20,000+ Merial Texas Distaff Challenge Trials, it was Streakin Flair that proved to be best with a qualifying time of :20.354. Aboard the four-year-old filly was Rodrigo Sigala Vallejo, the only jockey in the history of The Park to win the Grade 1 Sam Houston Futurity three times. Vallejo earned the third raking position in standings at The Park for the 2007 season, winning 36 races and capturing a total of three stakes. Streakin Flare is owned by Jerry Windham and trained by Thomas Zarate. The 10 fastest qualifiers from all trial races will return to The Park on Saturday, July 12 to compete in the finals.

Opening weekend continues with Bud Day at The Park on Saturday, June 28, where the first 2,500 guests through the gates for live racing will receive a Sam Houston Race Park/Bud Light koozie. In addition, live music will continue with the Verizon Wireless Post-Race Concert Series on the Bud Light stage with John Michael Montgomery and Django Walker on Saturday, June 28.

Sam Houston Race Park
$18,000+ Fort Dodge Texas Starter Allowance Challenge Trials

Trials: Friday, June 27, 2008

Final: Saturday, July 12, 2008

Three-Year-Olds & Up, 350 Yards

*Track record: Hotdoggin - :17.360, July, 2001

Sam Houston Race Park
$20,000+ Merial Texas Distaff Challenge Trials

Trials: Friday, June 27, 2008

Final: Saturday, July 12, 2008

Three-Year-Olds & Up, 400 Yards

*Track record: Azoom - :19.574, September 24, 2004