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Quarter Horse Dates Moved From Retama To Sam Houston Due To Ongoing Repairs

The 20-day 2021 Retama Park Quarter Horse live racing season, originally scheduled to begin June 24, will now take place at Sam Houston Race Park, as approved Tuesday by the Texas Racing Commission.

The transfer of dates was deemed necessary due to damage incurred by Retama Park as a result of the winter storm that affected Texas in February. Sub-freezing temperatures for a period of five days, along with subsequent damage from broken water pipes and sprinklers, caused significant damage to the grandstand, barn area and racing office. Repairs are underway but cannot be completed prior to the upcoming live Quarter Horse racing season.

Therefore, Sam Houston Race Park will host the entire meet, beginning on Wednesday, June 23 and concluding on Saturday, Aug. 7. Post time for all dates is 6:45 pm (Central).

June (4 Days):

Wednesday, June 23; Thursday, June 24, Friday, June 25 and Wednesday, June 30

July (12 Days):

Thursday, July 1; Friday, July 2; Wednesday, July 7; Thursday, July 8; Friday, July 9; Wednesday, July 14; Thursday, July 15; Friday, July 16; Wednesday, July 28; Thursday, July 29; Friday, July 30 and Saturday, July 31

August (4 Days):

Wednesday, August 4; Thursday, August 5; Friday, August 6 and Saturday, August 7

Modifications were made to the July schedule due to live racing at Gillespie Fair Grounds on July 3 and July 17 as well as the TQHA Yearling Sale, which will take place July 23 and July 24 at the Freeman Exposition Center in San Antonio.

“Our goal was to schedule the 20 race dates to accommodate Texas horsemen who are running in Fredericksburg and those attending the annual TQHA Yearling Sale,” said Dwight Berube, Vice President and General Manager of Sam Houston Race Park. “While we recognize that change in venues will not be easy for all parties, we acted in the best interest of Texas Racing.”

Sam Houston Race Park hosted one its most successful Thoroughbred meets earlier this year and the 2021 Quarter Horse meet, which began on April 23, is also exceeding expectations with full fields, strong handle and attendance numbers.

Purse funds will be transferred from Retama Park and will be bolstered by Sam Houston Race Park with daily overnight purses at approximately $220,000 per day. The stakes schedule, highlighted by the TQHA Sale Futurity (RG2), will be announced in the near future.

Stall applications for the upcoming meet are due by Friday, May 21. The racing office is under the direction of racing secretary James Leatherman; phone (281) 807-8780 and fax (281) 890-5485.

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Analyzing Rombauer’s Preakness Breakthrough and His Chances in the Belmont

Making the Grade, which will run through the 2021 Triple Crown races, focuses on the winners or top performers of the key races, usually from the previous weekend, who could make an impact on the Triple Crown. We’ll be taking a close look at impressive winners and evaluating their chances to win classic races based upon ability, running style, connections (owner, trainer, jockey), and pedigree.

‘Still Growing’ Malathaat To Bypass Belmont Stakes, Point To CCA Oaks At Saratoga

Shadwell's undefeated multiple Grade 1-winning 3-year-old filly Malathaat, winner of the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) on April 30, will skip the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) on June 5 and point toward Saratoga. The ultimate plan for the Stonestreet-bred, Todd Pletcher-trained divisional leader is the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar, according to Shadwell Farm's Vice President and General Manager Rick Nichols.

“Todd and I have talked and have elected to bypass the Belmont,” Nichols said. “She is a little light right now because she is still growing into the frame that she has. We want to give her a nice break and hopefully put some weight on her.

“We will point her toward the CCA Oaks at Saratoga, which is 12 weeks from the Kentucky Oaks,” he continued. “Then we will aim for the Alabama, which is the main target, four weeks later. Then we will be able to give her a nice 10-week breather and head toward the Breeders' Cup.”

The $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) is scheduled for July 24 over the same nine furlongs of the Kentucky Oaks, while the $600,000 Alabama (G1) is slated for Aug. 21 over 10 furlongs.

The Breeders' Cup World Championships take place on Nov. 5 and 6 at Del Mar. A specific race goal, either the $2 million Longines Distaff (G1) over nine furlongs or $6 million Longines Classic (G1) over 10 furlongs, will be determined at a later date.

In five perfect starts, the sophomore star has amassed $1,125,150 in earnings and four stakes wins, including graded scores in the aforementioned Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, G1 Ashland Stakes at Keeneland and G2 Demoiselle Stakes at Aqueduct. Her '6' on the Ragozin Sheets from the Kentucky Oaks was equal to that of Medina Spirit one day later in the Kentucky Derby (G1).

Bred in Kentucky and a daughter of Stonestreet stars Curlin and Dreaming of Julia, the sizable filly was consigned by Denali Stud and purchased for $1,050,000 at Keeneland's September Sale in 2019, one of the final in-person purchases of her late owner, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum. She is already the third-highest earner for Shadwell's 36-year US-based operation, trailing only Breeders' Cup-winning champions Invasor and Lahudood.

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Authentic, Midnight Bisou To Join Monmouth Park’s Hall Of Champions

Authentic, the 2020 Horse of the Year who won the TVG.com Haskell Stakes as a prelude to victories in the Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic, and Midnight Bisou will join Monmouth Park's Hall of Champions when the track kicks off its 76th season of live racing on Friday, May 28.

A winner of six of eight lifetime starts, Authentic became the first horse to capture the Haskell Stakes prior to winning the Kentucky Derby as a result of a revamped racing schedule due to COVID-19 in 2020. His only two career defeats were runner-up finishes in the Santa Anita Derby and Preakness Stakes.

A winner of $7,201,200 over his career, the son of Into Mischief-Flawless by Mr. Greeley provided Hall of Famer trainer Bob Baffert with his record ninth Haskell victory.

Owned by Spendthrift Farm LLC, MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables LLC and Starlight Racing, the Kentucky-bred Authentic was also honored as Champion 3-Year-Old Colt in 2020.

Midnight Bisou, who has never missed the board in 22 career starts, won the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher Stakes at Monmouth Park in 2019 on the way to being named champion Older Female Dirt Horse that year.

Among the 13 career victories for the daughter of Midnight Lute-Diva Delite by Repent are five Grade 1 stakes races (and eight graded stakes overall). Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the Kentucky-bred Midnight Bisou is owned by Bloom Racing LLC, Madaket Stables LLC and Allen Racing LLC.

Monmouth Park's Hall of Champions was established in 1986 and is located on the track's first floor Grandstand with banners representing the various owners' silks.

Authentic and Midnight Bisou bring the total of horses honored in the Hall of Champions to 67. Of those, 30 are enshrined in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame, including 2015 Triple Crown champion and Haskell winner American Pharoah.

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