
Sam Houston Race Park weekend recap
Another exciting weekend of racing has concluded at Sam Houston Race Park.
The action began Friday with a full nine-race card, including three races with purses of at least $35,000.
We begin the recap in the third race, a maiden special weight for three-year-old fillies sprinting five furlongs on the turf. Fly Condor, a long shot, chased the early leaders and made her move late in the stretch to snatch the victory at the wire. Freddy Jose Marrique was the winning rider, and Federico Villafranco the winning trainer. Happy in Heels was second, with Wild Express finishing third.
The fourth race was also a maiden special weight, this time for Texas-accredited fillies three years old and up. In this one, Wicked Song held off a challenge from Flat Out Freda to hold on for the victory. Moro Nala finished in third. Jose Alvarez and Brett Calhoun combined as the winning rider and conditioner.
Friday’s last big purse race was an allowance five-furlong sprint for Texas-accredited fillies and mares three years old and up on the turf. This one was also won by a huge long shot, with Woo Hoo pulling the upset. Xtra Spicy was able to finish second, with Missizippy Bling third. Ernesto Valdez-Jiminez and Karl Broberg get credit as the winning jockey and trainer.
Saturday’s action included two big purse races beginning with a maiden special weight five-furlong sprint on the turf for three-year-olds in the fourth. This one was taken by Rodeo Champ, who made a late move to shake loose from Kisses Per Diem, who was second, with Properly Connected third. Valdez-Jiminez added another victory to his total as the jockey, and Shawn Davis was the winning conditioner.
The other big payday on Saturday came in the sixth, another five-furlong sprint on the turf under allowance conditions for Texas-accredited horses three years old and up. This race was won by Stan’s Miracle Man, who battled for the early lead and was able to run all others off their feet to secure the win. Uptowneagleslanded was good enough for second, with Witt America finishing third.
On Sunday, the action at Sam Houston featured another three races worth at least $35,000.
The third race, a maiden special weight for Texas-accredited horses three years old and up, was contested over a mile on the dirt. Morollicious led wire to wire and finished ahead of Texas Holdem and Gjallarhorn. Marrique was once again the winning rider, with Austin Gustafson getting credit as the winning trainer.
Moving down to the eighth race, an allowance optional claimer for three-year-olds covering six and a half furlongs on the dirt, we find that Alto Road was good enough to defeat Bohemian Bo and Perfect Prank. The winning rider was once again Valdez-Jiminez, and the winning trainer was Ronnie Cravens.
The last race of the weekend was also an allowance optional claimer for fillies and mares three years old and up over a mile on the turf. The weekend theme of big prices continued as Silverscape got up over Tudela and Princess Pauline. Floyd Whethey and Franciso Bravo combined as the winning rider and trainer.
Next weekend live action will continue at Sam Houston with another exciting card beginning Friday, with the first post at one o’clock.
Sam Houston Horses to Watch
Friday – Race 7 – Miss M J – Finished fourth, not on the board, but not terrible.
Saturday – Race 4 – Gwyneth’s Malibu – Finished well up the track; maybe this experience will help in the next start.
Sunday – Race 2 – Brilliant Colors – Always good when a plan comes together; this horse was upfront from the start and drew away to win.