The First Two Stakes of the 2025 Thoroughbred Meet Will be Contested on Saturday, January 4
HOUSTON, TX- Sam Houston Race Park will usher in the New Year with live Thoroughbred racing, events, dining and family-friendly activities. Opening night features seven races with a 6:30 pm (Central) first post and live music courtesy of The Slags.
The weekend action continues on Saturday, January 4 at 1:00 pm with the first two stakes of the 2024 Sam Houston Race Park Thoroughbred season, the $75,000 Darby’s Daughter and $75,000 My Dandy, at 5 ½ furlongs on the main track,are part of the Clarence Scharbauer Jr. Texas Stallion Stakes Series (TSSS), a set of races for progeny of nominated Texas-based stallions. The series, run at Sam Houston Race Park and Lone Star Park, honors notable Texas Thoroughbreds.
Solid Group of Fillies in the $75,000 Darby’s Daughter
Eight fillies will enter the starting gate in the first stakes of the season, the $75,000 Darby’s Daughter.The morning-line favorite is Tequila Kiss, owned by Indigo Racing, bred by TM Thoroughbred Racing LLC and trained by J. R. Caldwell.Jockey Chris Landeros returns to Sam Houston Race Park for the 2025 Thoroughbred meet and has the call aboard the daughter of Competitive Edge, who made two starts at Lone Star Park, with a victory in the Texas Stallion Stakes Series -Pan Zareta Division, last June. She will break from post position seven at odds of 2-1
Hall of Fame Conditioner Steve Asmussen, who captured his 16th leading Sam Houston Race Park training title las April, will be represented by two quality Texas-bred fillies. Douglas Scharbauer’s homebred Evening Edge did not compete in the series at Lone Star Park but was a pleasant surprise to her connections winning her debut on October 15 at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Erik Asmussen rode the dark bay filly, but is currently riding for his dad at Oaklawn Park, so she will be in the capable hands of last year’s top jockey Stewart Elliott. They were both honored as meet leaders in the 2024 Remington Park live racing season
“One run and a win; nothing wrong with that,” said Asmussen of the effort by Evening Edge. “Of course, I am very fortunate to have the continued success with Stewart.”
Asmussen will have another highly accomplished veteran in the saddle with DeShawn Parker named on this second entrant N2 Win Racing’s Stirring Up Dust.Scharbauer bred the filly by My Golden Song, who will make her third lifetime start. She exits a victory at Lone Star Park on July 7.
“She’s a nice filly, who just needed a little time off after Lone Star,” said Asmussen.
Last year, trainer Bret Calhoun won the Darby’s Daughter with Mansfield Racing’s Too Much Kiki and hopes for a good effort on Saturday with Blingster, a Bradester filly purchased by Mansfield Racing for $26,000 at the 2023 Texas Thoroughbred Association Yearling Sale. She will make her fourth career start off a runner-up finish in a Maiden Special Weight on December 6. Jockey Jose Alvarez has the return call.
“She was immature in her first two races at Lone Star last summer, so we decided to wait and run her at Remington Park,” explained Calhoun. “She ran better that we expected off the layoff, as I didn’t have her as prepared as I would have liked.
The Darby’s Daughter will run as race six, with an approximate post time of 3:30 pm. The field from the rail, with riders and morning-line odds: Citycityblingbling, David Cabrera, 6-1; Imagoldensong, Ernesto Valdez-Jiminez,15-1; Moonlight Glow, Floyd Wethey, Jr. 10-1; Stirring Up Dust, DeShawn Parker, 8-1; Evening Edge, Stewart Elliott, 3-1; Blingster, Jose Alvarez, 2-1 and Edge Chaser, Rene Diaz, 10-1.
The stakes is named in honor of Darby’s Daughter who made her racing debut in 1988, winning two stakes at Louisiana Downs, the Grade 2, Miss Grillo at Aqueduct and the San Clemente Handicap at Del Mar. She retired with an impressive record of five wins from 15 starts and earnings of $435,104.
Ring Seeker The One to Beat in the $75,000 My Dandy
An excellent group of 3-year-old colts and geldings will compete in the $75,000 My Dandy, also at 5 ½ furlongs on the main track.
Steve Asmussen, who won the 2023 edition of the My Dandy with Blingblingbling, sends in Ring Seeker. another talented son of top Texas stallion Too Much Bling. Ring Seeker captured both the TTA Stallion Service -Staunch Avenger Division and TTA Sale Futurity last summer at Lone Star Park. Bred and owned by prominent Texan W. S. Farish, the accomplished son of Too Much Bling out of the Competitive Edge mare My Italian Rabbi, followed that with a runner-up finish in the Kip Deville at Remington Park before wrapping his 2-year old campaign with a sixth-place finish in the $10,000 Zia Park Juvenile on November 26. Stewart Elliott will pilot the high earner in the field ($162,729) from post seven at odds of 4-5.
“It means a great deal to me and my family to participate in this series,” acknowledged Asmussen. “Mr. Farish is one of several Texas breeders and owners who have played a very important role in my career. It will be good to see Ring Seeker return against Texas-breds on Saturday.”
Rocky Rock It is still a maiden for trainer Mindy Willis but cannot be ignored as the son of Too Much Bling, bred and owned by Star Bright Racing, who hit the board in three of his four efforts at Remington Park. Another former leading Sam Houston jockey, Lindy Wade has the call aboard the gray gelding.
J. R. Caldwell will saddle two geldings, Golden Grit with Chris Landeros in the saddleand Rags Royal Prinz who will be ridden by jockey Rene Diaz.
The field for the My Dandy, which runs as the seventh race, from the rail, with riders and morning-line odds: Tizaabling,, David Cabrera, 5-1; Freeway, DeShawn Parker, 20-1; Rockey Rock It, Lindey Wade, 4-1; Mikel W, Iram Diego, 30-1; Ring Seeker, Stewart Elliott, 4-5; Dapilot, Floyd Wethey, Jr. 15-1; Golden Grit, Chris Landeros, 8-1; Keys Golden Song, Ernesto Valdez-Jiminez, 30-1; and Rags Royal Prinz, Rene Diaz, 12-1.
My Dandy was a 1925 Texas-bred foal who boasted a lifetime record of 191 starts with 47 wins and earnings of $137,923. A true “iron horse” who ran from 1927 to 1935 and in 1930 made 43 starts in a single year.
Houston Life to Televise Live on Friday, January 3 at Sam Houston Race Park
Houston Life is an afternoon local talk show on KPRC-2 (Monday-Friday) enthusiastic about celebrating events in Houston. One of the segments on the Friday, January 3 live broadcast (1:00 pm Central) will be a preview of the 2025 Sam Houston Race Park live racing season. Bryan Pettigrew, Sam Houston Race Park’s general manager will give an overview on the live racing, promotions, food and beverage offers and special events. Shawn Davis, 83-years young, a retired rodeo competitor, who transitioned to a career as a Thoroughbred trainer, will share what goes into preparing a horse for a winning effort!
2025 Sam Houston Race Park Post Times and January Promotions
Sam Houston Race Park’s 31st live racing season will commence on Friday, January 3, 2025. The 42-day Thoroughbred meet will offer live racing will take place on Friday at 6:30 pm and Saturdays and Sundays at 1:00 pm (Central) through Saturday, April 6.
· January 3-5 – Opening Weekend for Thoroughbred Racing
· Jan. 3 – Live Music by the Slags
· Jan. 10 – Rice University Night at the Race and Live Music from Southern County Line
· Jan. 11 – Houston Football Fans Day
· Jan. 12 – Healthcare Appreciation Day
· Jan. 17 – Lone Star College Night at the Races and Live Music by Mr. Wonderful
· Jan. 19 – Senior Citizens Day at the Races
· Jan. 24 – Texas A&M Night at the Race and Live Music by Main Street Trio
· Jan. 25 – Houston Racing Festival–Five Stakes Races/ Houston Betting Championship
· Jan. 31 – University of Kentucky Night at the Races and Live Music by AM/FM
For more information on live and simulcast racing, promotions and special events, or to book dining or suite reservations, visit shrp.com.
Nominations for the Houston Racing Festival Close on Saturday, January 11
The Houston Racing Festival, with five stakes races offering over $700,000 in purses, will take place on Saturday, January 25, 1:00 pm (Central) post time. The Grade 3, $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic, now in its 13th running, anchors the Houston Racing Festival,which also includes the Listed $200,000 John B. Connally Turf Cup, $100,000 Bob Bork Texas Turf Mile, $75,000 Bara Lass and $75,000 Gexa Groovy Stakes. Contact stakes coordinator Greg Thompson at 469-394-6330 to nominate to the Houston Racing Festival.
Houston Racing Festival – NTRA National Horseplayers Championship Contest
Sam Houston Race Park will host the 2nd annual Houston Betting Championship on Saturday, January 25. The handicapping contest, offered exclusively on-site, will feature a live money format with a buy-in of $1,500. There is no entry fee associated with the cost, as the entire $1,500 will be used as the contestant’s bankroll. Contestants will be required to wager at least $750 on the Sam Houston Race Park live card, which will feature the $300,000 Grade III Houston Ladies Classic and the Listed $200,000 John B. Connally Turf Cup. Contestants are eligible to wager the remaining $750 in their original bankroll on Sam Houston or select races from Gulfstream Park or Oaklawn Park on that afternoon.
Two NTRA National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) Seats will be awarded to the top horseplayers to compete in the prestigious final in Las Vegas (either 2025 or 2026). A complete list of eligible races and wagers will be released on January 21, 2025. For further information on the Houston Betting Championship and to sign up, CLICK HERE or contact Mike Steindler at mike.steindler@pennentertainment.com.