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Sam Houston Increasing Overnight Purses: All Main Track Races Get $7,000 Boost

Sam Houston Race Park in Houston, Texas, announced on Sunday that overnight purses have been increased for the remainder of the 2021 Thoroughbred meet. The adjustment will be implemented on Wednesday, Feb. 17 and will continue through the conclusion of the racing season on April 3.

All main track overnight purses will be increased by $7,000 and turf purses will be boosted by $2,000. The increases reflect the strong start of the current meet in which Sam Houston Race Park has seen a handle increase of 40%. This was bolstered by a record-setting handle of $5.3 million on its Houston Racing Festival card on Jan. 31.

Frank Hopf, Sam Houston Race Park's senior director of racing operations, credits the support of horsemen as well the nation's horseplayers, who enjoy the industry-low takeout of 12% on multi-race wagers.

“This increase would not be possible without the ongoing support from our horsemen,” said Hopf. “We welcomed back a solid number of barns and received stall applications from many new outfits this year. Additionally, we had tremendous interest from nationally prominent trainers for our six Houston Racing Festival stakes. Racing fans continue to respond to our racing product and comprehensive wagering menu.”

There will be no changes to the stakes schedule, which offers $2.4 million in purses, up from $1.8 million in 2020. Texas Preview Night is set for Saturday, Feb. 20 with six stakes for Texas-breds. On Texas Champions Day, which will take place on March 20, all seven stakes races on Texas Champions Day have been increased from $75,000 to $100,000.

The 46-day Thoroughbred season, which began on Jan. 8 will conclude on April 3 with live racing each Wednesday and Thursday at 4:00 p.m. CT and Friday and Saturday night card beginning at 6:45 p.m.

Sam Houston Race Park is Houston's premier racing and entertainment facility, located just 15 miles from downtown Houston. The Park offers a variety of attractions including a Suite Level featuring luxurious suites overlooking the racetrack, The Pavilion Centre, and award-winning dining options at the Winner's Circle Restaurant and the Jockey Club. For more information on upcoming live racing, shows, events and tickets, please visit www.shrp.com.

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Record Handle at Sam Houston During Houston Racing Festival

Sam Houston Race Park set a record for handle during its 10-race Houston Racing Festival card Sunday, Jan. 31. Besides the $300,000 GIII Houston Ladies Classic S. and $200,000 GIII John B. Connally Turf Cup S., the fixture also featured the $200,000 Texas Turf Mil S., $100,000 Pulse Power Turf Sprint S., the $75,000 Stonerside Sprint S. and the $75,000 Jersey Lilly Turf S. A record total of $5.3 million was wagered at the Houston-area track.

“We are thrilled with the success of this year's Houston Racing Festival and setting a record handle of $5.3 million,” said Frank Hopf, Senior Director of Racing. “It was a team effort from everyone at Sam Houston and our thanks go out to all the horsemen and owners for supporting our meet. This would not be possible without our horseplayers, both here in Texas and nationally. It was a great day.”

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Houston Racing Festival Celebrates Record Handle Of $5.3 Million

While the Grade 3, $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic and the Grade 3, $200,000 John B. Connally Turf may have attracted the greatest interest from the media and the national racing audience, there were impressive performances in the four Houston Racing Festival undercard stakes. The Houston Racing Festival 10-race card set a handle record for the track with $5.3 million wagered.

In the day's running of the $200,000 Texas Turf Mile, Palazzi emerged as the photo finish winner of the one-mile turf route to win his stakes debut. The 3-year-old Pioneerof the Nile colt stalked from mid-pack and closed swiftly in the stretch to defeat a full field of ten with a time of 1:36.89.

Palazzi is owned by Mark Oxley and trained by Mark Casse; Declan Carroll had the call on the colt for the first time.

'I have to thank Mark Casse and Mr. Oxley; it was huge,” said Carroll, who is the son of David Carroll. “The horse was training well and gained a lot of confidence at Fair Grounds. I was in a beautiful position, saved ground all the way, relaxed nicely and kicked home.”

With two wins in six career starts, Palazzi ($7.00) has earned $158,520 and is undefeated on the turf after breaking his maiden in his most recent start at the Fair Grounds.

“This horse came to Fair Grounds after his debut at Keeneland,” said Shane Tripp, who saddled for Casse. “A lot of the credit goes to David Carroll and his wife, Kim, as Palazzi really got comfortable and won his last [on December 19]. Declan saved ground and finished well on him today. We ran Jack and Noah in this race last year and think it's a great race for these 3-year-old turf horses.”

Excess Magic finished a nose behind Palazzi in second place for trainer Bret Calhoun with Miguel Mena aboard. Longshot Dyn O Mite threatened and led briefly in the stretch before finishing third. Fighting Force, Catman, Texas Bad Boy, Flash of Mischief, Bobby Brinkley, Red N Wild and Invincibility completed the order of finish.

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Spooky Channel Gets Perfectly Timed Ride To Win John B. Connally Turf Cup

Trainer Mike Maker had his streak of six consecutive victories in the John B. Connally Turf Cup at Sam Houston Race Park in Houston, Texas, snapped last year when Brad Cox-trained Dot Matrix defeated Bemma's Boy and Marzo from Maker's deep stable of turf runners.

Maker came loaded again this year, with three starters in Sunday's $200,000, Grade 3 Turf Cup, just as he did in 2020. Once again, however, he had to settle for the minor awards as 3-2 favorite Spooky Channel, from the Brian Lynch stable, collared Maker's pace-setting Conviction Trade inside the furlong pole, then held off a furious late rally by Maker-trained Ajourneytofreedom to win by a neck.

Spooky Channel, a 6-year-old English Channel gelding owned by Terry Hamilton, was clocked in 2:30.94 on a firm grass course for the 1 1/2 miles of the Turf Cup. He paid $5 for the win, his ninth in 18 career starts. Ajourneytofreedom finished a length ahead of Conviction Trade, giving Maker a 2-3 finish for the second year in a row. Tenfold was fourth for trainer Steve Asmussen, with Ken McPeek-trained Signalman fifth in the field of a dozen older runners.

The John B. Connally Turf Cup was one of six stakes – two of them graded – offering over $1 million in purses on Sunday's Houston Racing Festival as Sam Houston Race Park in Houston, Texas,

It was a big day for the track, with a record $5.3 million wagered on the 10-race card.

“We are thrilled with the success of this year's Houston Racing Festival and getting a record handle of $5.3 million,” said Frank Hopf, senior director of racing. “It was a team effort from everyone at Sam Houston and our thanks go out to all the horsemen and owners for supporting our meet. This would not be possible without our horseplayers, both here in Texas and nationally. It was a great day.”

Leparoux allowed Spooky Channel to settle into fifth position after breaking from the 10-post in the three-turn Turf Cup. Rafael Hernandez put Conviction Trade in front from the start, going an opening quarter mile in :24.57, a half mile in :48.97 and six furlongs in 1:14.00. Leparoux began asking Spooky Channel to pick it up with a half mile to run, the mile clocked in 1:40.52, and by the time they reached the quarter pole, after 1 1/4 miles in 2:05.67, he was on the front-runner's right flank.

Conviction Trade fought back and maintained a half-length lead with a furlong to run, but Spooky Channel finally put him away just as Ajourneytofreedom and Jesus Castanon emerged on the scene with a powerful stretch rally that came up just short at the wire.

“I have ridden him before and felt he would like this turf course,” said Leparoux. “Brian and I talked and we knew he would have enough to come off the pace and make his run. He left it up to me and the horse did exactly what he hoped for.”

Spooky Channel began his racing career for Hamilton in Arizona in the care of trainer Clay Brinson, winning six of his first eight starts at Turf Paradise, including the 1 7/8-mile Hasta La Vista Handicap.

After shipping east and being transferred to Lynch's barn (following one off-the-board finish at Canterbury Park), Spooky Channel has won three of nine, including the G3 W.L. McKnight Stakes at Gulfstream Park in January 2020. Following a sixth-place finish in the G1 Manhattan Stakes at Belmont Park last July 4, was given some time off, then returned to be fourth in the G2 Ft. Lauderdale at Gulfstrealm Park on Dec. 12. He trained up to the Turf Cup at Palm Meadows Training Center in South Florida.

“It was exciting to be part of the big stakes day at Sam Houston Race Park,” said Lynch from his base in South Florida. “Spooky Channel is a true marathoner and ran a great race. Julien is a multiple Eclipse winning rider and I am one of his biggest fans. I am grateful to my owner Terry Hamilton, who is also a great friend.”

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