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SAM HOUSTON RACE PARK HOSTS TRIAL RACES INCLUDE $18,000 + FORT DODGE TEXAS STARTER ALLOWANCE CHALLENGE & $20,000 + MERIAL TEXAS DISTAFF CHALLENGE

Four Thrilling Trial Races and a Performance by Robert Earl Keen Entertained Fans on Friday, June 27, 2008

HOUSTON (June 28, 2008)—More than 7,400 fans came out to Sam Houston Race Park (www.shrp.com) 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, 2008.

The $18,000 + Fort Dodge Texas Starter Allowance Challenge Trials featured 3-year-olds going neck-and-neck 350 yards in hopes of qualifying for the final on Saturday, July 12, 2008, 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 and secured her spot as top 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. Bebber was the leading trainer at The Park for five consecutive years, and since the opening has garnered twelve 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. Carden.

For the $20,000 + Merial Texas Distaff Challenge Trials it was Streakin Flair who proved to be best with a qualifying time of :20.354. Aboard the 4-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 wins.  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. 

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
Horse	Jockey		Trainer	Qualifying Time
ONE GAME CHICK	ALFONSO LUJAN		JANET VAN BEBBER	17.961
GONE SHAZOOM	JUAN VAZQUEZ		K.C. CARDEN	18.111
FOXIE MINNIE	GASPAR RIVERA		JUDD KEARL	18.166
MAMBO CHILL	ALFONSO LUJAN		VIRGIL LEJEUNE	18.190
EMBRUJO CELOSO	DONACIANO ARRIAGA		STEVE GARRISON	18.314
SHESA RITZY SPECIAL	RODRIGO VALLEJO		J. BENNY PENNINGTON	18.329
PRINCESS CORONA	RUBEN FLORES		SALVADOR FLORES	18.419
JACK PUDDING	DEWEY SMITH		JAMES GERHARDS	18.470
RONAS SUNSHINE	GASPAR GARCIA		DOUG MCMULLEN	18.644
SHADEAUX LA RUE	SANTOS CARRIZALES		RHONDA JOHNSON	18.654

 

*Track record: Hotdoggin :17.360 – July, 2001