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Live Racing Returns To Sam Houston Wednesday; Texas Preview Night Rescheduled For Saturday

Live racing returns to Sam Houston Race Park this week after the northwest Houston racetrack and millions of Texans recover from a devastating winter storm. Beginning on Monday, Feb. 15, sub-freezing temperatures created havoc with icy road conditions, power failures and dwindling water pressure which created untold hardships for residents and ground businesses to a halt.

Sam Houston Race Park presented its last Thoroughbred card on Saturday, Feb. 13 before the lack of power, icy track condition and water supply issues left management no choice but to cancel live racing from Feb. 17-20.

The good news is that as of Friday, Feb. 19, temperatures climbed into the 50's and training resumed over the weekend. Highs in the 70's are forecast for this week with racing to resume Wednesday, Feb. 24. Additional races have been added to the Wednesday and Thursday cards and the five Texas Preview Night stakes, originally scheduled for Feb. 20, will run on Saturday, Feb. 27.

Post time for Saturday's 12-race program has been amended with the first race set for 5:40 pm (CT). The five Texas Preview Night features will begin with the $75,000 Two Altazano as race six and continue with the $75,000 Miss Bluebonnet Turf; $75,000 H-Town Stakes; $75,000 Houston Turf and $75,000 Jim's Orbit.

The annual event serves as a preview for Texas Champions Day, which will take place on Saturday, March 20. Purses for each of the seven Champions Day stakes showcasing the established and rising stars of the Texas Thoroughbred industry have been boosted to $100,000 this year.

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Sam Houston Cancels Live Racing, Training Through Thursday Due To Texas Snowstorm

Snow in Texas.

Yes, you read that right.

Due to ongoing winter weather conditions in Houston, Tx., Sam Houston Race Park has cancelled live racing and training for both Wednesday, Feb. 17 and Thursday, Feb. 18, according to the track's Twitter account.

Sam Houston's power is also out, so entries for Wednesday, Feb. 24, originally scheduled to be taken today, will now be taken on Thursday, Feb. 18.

The National Weather Service's Winter Storm Warning for the area will remain in effect through 6:00 a.m. Thursday morning.

Temperatures are expected to drop below freezing overnight, and there is the potential for ice accumulation of up to a tenth of an inch.

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Sam Houston Raises Purses

Sam Houston Race Park announced Sunday that it will raise its overnight purses for the remainder of the 2021 Thoroughbred meet. The increases will go into effect starting Wednesday, Feb. 17 and will continue through closing day, Apr. 3. All main track purses will be increased by $7,000, while turf purses will see a $2,000 bump. The track cited strong handle figures, which are up 40% year over year including a record-setting handle of $5.3 million on the Houston Racing Festival card Jan. 31, as the reason for the changes. Sam Houston offers some of the nation's lowest takeout rates, with an industry-low 12% on multi-race wagers.

“This increase would not be possible without the ongoing support from our horsemen,” said Frank Hopf, Senior Director of Racing Operations. “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.”

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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.

“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!”

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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