HOUSTON, TX—MARCH 27, 2018—The 2018 American Quarter Horse racing season gets underway at Sam Houston Race Park on Friday. The 20-day meet will continue through Saturday, May 12.

Opening weekend racing action includes trials for the Sam Houston Maiden Classic on Friday night and the first stakes of the meet, the $20,000 Harris County Stakes set for Saturday evening.

Sam Houston Race Park will run three days a week throughout the 2018 Quarter Horse meet. Post time for Friday evening racing is 7:00 p.m.; Saturday's card will get underway at 6:00 p.m. and the live racing program on Monday will begin at 12:00 p.m. On Saturday, May 5, a special post time of 1:00 p.m. has been set so that fans can enjoy live racing and the simulcast of the 144th Kentucky Derby.

Trials for the Sam Houston Maiden Classic on Friday

Each of the eleven races on opening night, are trials for the $50,000-added Sam Houston Maiden Classic. The fastest ten qualifiers of the 350-yard trials will advance to the final on Saturday, April 14.

Trainer Jorge Lopez has six horses entered; Roberto Madrigal will saddle five and Leon Bard, Angel Sanchez, Miguel Medina and Jesse Yoakum each have four horses running in the trials.

Last year's winner was the fastest qualifier, Streamlyner, ridden by jockey Luis Vivanco, who completed the final in :17.884 seconds. The son of Brimmerton, was bred by Bobby D. Cox and owned by Gilbert Morales.

Bank of America Texas Challenge Championship Trials Set for Saturday

Sam Houston Race Park will once again participate in the Bank of America Racing Challenge, with regional winners from all over the United States, Canada and Mexico earning berths to final competition each year.

On Saturday night, there will be two trials for the $67,680 Bank of America Texas Challenge Championship (G1) (see related story) at the "classic" Quarter Horse distance of 440 yards.

$20,000 Harris County Stakes Slated for Saturday

The first stakes of the meet, the 550-yard Harris County Stakes, will be contested on Saturday evening.

Jw Who Dat has been installed as the 9-5 morning-line favorite. The 6-year-old son of Agouti won two 870-yard stakes at Harrah’s Louisiana Downs and will make his Sam Houston Race Park debut for owner Fernando Ramirez. Trainer Robert Meche will give a let up to Antonio Alberto, who rode Jw Who Dat in both the Marathon and Magnolia Stakes in Shreveport. The bay gelding was claimed for $3,500 and has won six career races and purses of $62,192.

Trainer Leon Bard, who finished second in the standings here and was honored as Retama Park’s leading Quarter Horse trainer, has two entrants. Southern Temptation ships to Houston from Sunland Park in New Mexico. Sired by Tempting Dash, the sorrel gelding will stretch out to 550-yards for the first time under Calderon. Deala Quick Game, bred and owned by Scarmardo, returns to action following an allowance victory on November 17 at Lone Star Park. Jockey Luis Vivanco has the call.

Dan Grube’s homebred Desdemona Rambler will stretch out to 550 yards for the first time as he makes his 15th lifetime start. The 4-year-old son of Tempting Dash is trained by Gilbert Aguirre, III and will be ridden by Juan Garcia, Jr. First Impulse, owned by Guadalupe Barrientos, Sr. and Juan R. Lozano, Sr.’s Im Your Queen complete the six-horse field.

The Harris County Stakes will run as the eighth race on Saturday’s card with an approximate post time of 9:12 p.m.

Sam Houston Race Park Quarter Horse Stakes Schedule

Twelve stakes will be contested highlighted by the 25th running of the $100,000-added Sam Houston Futurity (G2) on Saturday, April 28. A complete list of the 2018 Quarter Horse schedule, including trial dates, is available on shrp.com.

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Sam Houston Race Park is Houston’s premier racing and entertainment facility, located just 15 miles from downtown Houston, and offers a variety of attractions including our Suite Level presented by Draft Kings, The Pavilion Centre, and award-winning dining options at the Winner’s Circle Restaurant and the Jockey Club. For more information on upcoming group events, racing events, shows and tickets, please visit www.shrp.com.