
View from behind of jockeys on horses rounding the corner during horse race.
Sam Houston Race Park weekend preview
Another weekend of exciting live thoroughbred action kicks off this Friday. The first card of the weekend features five races with purses of at least $35,000.
The action begins in race one, a maiden special weight for fillies and mares 3 to 5 years old, covering a mile and a sixteenth on the turf. Fame Street, a daughter of Street Sense trained by Bret Calhoun, is the morning line favorite, but the Steve Asmussen entry A Little Good News also looks like a strong candidate.
Moving to race four, we find another maiden special weight sprint over five and a half furlongs on the dirt for Texas-accredited 3-year-olds. The favorites here look like the five Zavala, trained by Jayde Gelner and ridden by Floyd Whethey, and the number eight Hard Gold, a son of My Golden Song out of a Hard Spun mare.
Race six is another maiden special weight, this time for 3-year-olds over six furlongs on the dirt. This race should be wide-open with at least five horses with a real chance to claim their first win. Clay’s Black Opal should have a strong chance along with Olcyk. I am Grodd is an interesting option and could come at a better price than the first two.
Looking at race eight, we find an allowance race over six and a half furlongs on the dirt for horses 3 years old and up. Big Bernie looks like a solid favorite here, the son of Bernardini has finished second in two of his last three starts. Under the Gun is a likely alternative, the son of Gun Runner won at Oaklawn in his last start in March.
The Friday finale in race nine is another allowance feature for Texas-accredited horses 3 years old and up over a mile and a sixteenth on the turf. Tapits Kash is coming in good form, finishing second in two of his last three and winning the other. Canatlan could be an alternative; his previous start was a win over a mile on the turf in February.
April will begin at Sam Houston with a card that features another four big purse races. The big money festivities kick off in race three with an allowance optional claiming five-furlong turf sprint for horses 3 years old and up. If the weather prevents racing on the turf course, the horse drawn on the outside, Silver Wings, should have a great chance. The son of Liam’s Map is riding a two-race win streak and has put up stronger numbers in three consecutive trips. If the action stays on the turf, Tough Charlie should have the best chance. He is returning to the area after an excursion to Gulfstream Park and has fared much better at this level.
Saturday’s fourth race is a maiden special weight over a mile on the dirt for Texas Accredited 3-year-old fillies. The six horse, Missingyoucrazy, looks strong here. She will be ridden by Stewart Elliot and is trained by Bret Calhoun. She has been on the board in two starts and could be primed to graduate. Gold Memories and Flat Out Freda are solid alternatives.
The bigger purse money continues in the fifth race, an allowance for fillies and mares 3 years old and up over six and a half furlongs on the dirt. This race appears wide-open, with at least five horses having a legitimate chance to come home in front. Ring Me Darling will be ridden by Lane Luzzi, has put up good figures in the past and is coming in off a layoff, but Dellightof the Nile is coming in off a win and could be in better form at the moment. Feeling Happy is another likely candidate and could be a better price.
Saturday’s card will wrap up with an allowance race on the turf over a mile for fillies and mares three years old and up. Faded Memories looks like a good contender here and is coming off a win. Asmussen and Elliot will combine with Get Serious, a daughter of Practical Joke, and should also have a strong chance.
The weekend will wrap up with an eight race card that features three allowance races with purses exceeding $35,000
Race three is an allowance optional claimer for Texas-accredited 3-year-old fillies sprinting five and a half furlongs on the dirt. Mor Peanuts is drawn to the outside and looks like a strong contender here. She won her only other start, a maiden special weight, on March 4. My Patriotic Girl will also start from outside and could be right there at the finish.
The fourth race moves to the dirt for an allowance optional claimer for fillies and mares 3 years old and up traveling seven furlongs. Redefinition is a strong favorite here. She has improved in her last two starts, and if that continues, this daughter of Constitution should be tough to handle.
In the eighth and final race of the weekend is an allowance for horses 3 years old and up racing a mile on the turf. The number 10, Stan’s Hookin Bull, has put up some solid speed figures but hasn’t finished in front since 2022. If he puts in his best effort, it should be good enough to win. Manor Born could be a good option and should come at a better price.
Sam Houston will wrap up the thoroughbred season next weekend with live racing action on Friday and Saturday. First post will be at one o’clock.