Bryan Candanosa and Ali Rivera are presented the Leading Jockey award for the 2023 Fall Meeting of Champions at Lone Star Park Saturday night.

© Dustin Orona Photography

GRAND PRAIRIE, TX–NOVEMBER 26, 2023–The 2023 Fall Meeting of Champions came to an end on Saturday, November 25. The meet concluded after 32 nights of exciting racing in front of 2,783 on a rainy night in Grand Prairie.

Four different breeds of horses got a chance to run for big purses during the race meet. The majority of the races featured Quarter Horses, but Arabians, Paints, Appaloosas, and Thoroughbreds all got in on the action.

Average attendance for the 32-day meet was 2,913, Average On-Track Handle was $94,748 and average off-track handle was $436,388. The meet had 33 stakes races contested, including the annual Grade 2 Dash for Cash Derby and Futurity as well as the Grade 1 Texas Classic Derby and Futurity.

Highlights of the meet included the return of the Bank of America Challenge Championships on Saturday, October 21 with handle totaling $704,795 in front of 4,205 fans.

Toby Keeton (center) was named Leading Trainer for the 2023 Fall Meeting of Champions at Lone Star Park.
© Dustin Orona Photography

KJ Desperado returned to the track and became the sport’s first horse with over $3-Million in earnings after winning the Refrigerator Championship (G1). The 5,419 fans in attendance on Texas Classic night set a 17-year high for on-track handle, wagering $325,281 on Saturday, November 18, which also featured the richest race in Texas, the $1,176,155 Texas Classic Futurity (G1) which was won by Dark NME.

Pete A. Scarmardo was the Lone Star Park leading Quarter Horse owner for 2023. © Coady Photography

Over the course of the meet, 333 races were run with a total of 2,922 starters, for an average field size of 8.8. Wagering favorites won 144 of the races for a winning percentage of 43.2%. There were 72 claims during the meet totaling $660,000.

The race for the title of Leading Jockey of the meet came down to the wire. Ali Rivera entered the final night of the 2023 Fall Meeting of Champions with 34 wins and a 4 race lead, but Bryan Candanosa wasn't content as the runner-up.

His four wins on closing night, including a win in the final race of the season, put him in a tie for the award with Rivera for the title. Both jockeys ended the season with a total of 34 wins.

Trainer Toby Keeton received the award for Leading Trainer, saddling 25 winners during the 2023 Fall Meeting of Champions, including a pair of stakes winners.

Rosebrook Farms LLC, was the leading owner of the meet, picking up nine wins, all in Arabian races. Pete A. Scarmardo lead all Quarter Horse owners with eight wins.

Although the 2023 Fall Meeting of Champions has concluded, simulcast racing from around the world continues seven-days-a-week at Bar & Book at Lone Star Park.

Live racing will resume at Lone Star Park with the Thoroughbred Racing Season on Thursday, April 18, 2024.