The 2024 Fall Meeting of Champions at Lone Star Park came to a close on Saturday, November 16.

© Dustin Orona Photography

GRAND PRAIRIE, TX–NOVEMBER 19, 2024–The 2024 Fall Meeting of Champions at Lone Star Park came to a close on Saturday, November 16, after 32 days of racing.

A total of 333 races, with an average field size of 9.0, were contested during the meet. Most of the races featured American Quarter Horses, but several other breeds, including Arabians, Paints, Appaloosas, and Thoroughbreds, were in on the action too.

Over the course of the race meet, the 92,758 fans who attended the races wagered more than $3 million on-track. All sources handle totaled $15,550,285, an average of $485,946 per race day. Pari-mutuel favorites ended the meet, winning at a 37.2% rate.

The sport’s all-time leading money earner, KJ Desparado, continued his dominance at Lone Star Park by improving his record to a perfect six-for-six over the racing surface with a win in the $118,000 Refrigerator Championship (G1).

The $177,300 Dash for Cash Derby (G2) featured a pair of winners as Marc Jungers trained stablemates Asscher and Relentless Eagle hit the wire together, resulting in a dead-heat for the win.

Both Dash for Cash Derby winners continued to have success on closing night as Asscher went on to win the $254,502 Purina Feeds Texas Classic Oaks and Relentless Eagle picked up his first Grade 1 win in the $328,811 Texas Classic Derby.

The 2024 Fall Meeting of Champions saw some record-breaking performances, with seven track records shattered. Fdd Dreams stopped the clock at 19.196 in his 400-yard trial for the Texas Classic Futurity (G1). The previous record of 19.205 was held by Tempting Dash and had stood since 2009. Fdd Dreams followed up his record-breaking performance with a win in Texas's richest race, the $911,868 Texas Classic Futurity (G1).

Additional track records for Quarter Horses were also set by Apicasso Jess on October 11, traveling 250 yards in 2.843. This record lasted less than a month as it was lowered to 12.837 on November 1 by Miss Eden Sue. The 300-yard track record was also broken a couple of times during the meet. Bv Elaina Ray briefly held the record after a 14.934 trip on Halloween. This mark was then lowered to 14.929 on the closing night by Im A Fancee Chik.

A couple of paint records were set for this meet, too, on back-to-back nights. Livewires Turnpike set the new 400-yard mark at 19.457, and Baileys N Blood set another track record the following night, covering 300 yards in 15.505.

Ali Rivera took home the leading jockey title with 35 wins, including six stakes wins. Rivera ended the meet with a dozen more wins than his closest competitor, Victor Urieta, Jr.

The race for the Trainer title was much closer. John Stinebaugh and Juan Diaz, Jr. entered the meeting's final night, separated by just one victory. Diaz scored early in the card, moving him into a tie at the top of the standings with 21 wins. The stalemate didn’t last long, as Stinebaugh picked up his 22nd win of the season just a few races later, enough to earn him the title of Leading Trainer.

Bella Vista Farms, LLC, led all owners with 10 wins during the race meet.  

Live racing will return to Lone Star Park on Thursday, April 17 (pending Texas Racing Commission approval) for the 2025 Thoroughbred Racing Season. For more information on future race dates, promotions and events, please visit lonestarpark.com.