Final Weekend of Live Quarter Horse Racing at Sam Houston Race Park

Sam Houston Race Park will wrap up its 2017 Quarter Horse meet on Monday, May 22.

There is plenty of quality racing set for Friday, May 19 and a special 1:00 pm post on Saturday, May 20 to coincide with the Preakness Stakes. Saturday’s program will include the final of the John Deere Juvenile Texas Challenge and the Adequan Texas Derby Challenge. Angel Sanchez trains Black Onyx, the fastest qualifier to the John Deere Juvenile. He will attempt to keep his undefeated record intact. Trainer Brian Stroud has three finalists in the 350-yard final, including Ivory Noche, a son of Ivory James who is also undefeated heading into Saturday’s race.

AQHA champion trainer Judd Kearl has the favorite in the Adequan Texas Derby, the Utah-bred Gustafame. Jockey Rodrigo Vallejo will ride the son of Freighttrain B, who will have to prevail against Trashy Tres, and two other quality 3-year-olds trained by Leon Bard. The winners of both Challenge stakes will earn berths into the Bank of America Challenge Championships at Prairie Meadows in October.

Monday’s closing day card will include 12 races, beginning at noon, as well as the presentation of the end of the meet awards to the leading owner, trainer and jockey. Kearl is poised to win his eighth title at Sam Houston with Rodrigo Vallejo leading Francisco Calderon in the jockey standings heading into the final three days of the season.

The Texas circuit shifts to Retama Park near San Antonio beginning June 9.