TQHA SUMMER SHOWDOWN AT SAM HOUSTON

COURTESY OF STALLIONESEARCH.COM


TQHA Summer Showdown Set For Friday and Saturday



HOUSTON, TX—JULY 25, 2007—The TQHA Summer Showdown, one of the premier weekends of the Sam Houston Race Park Quarter Horse meeting, will take place on Friday, July 27 and Saturday, July 28. The weekend combines five stakes races, an Equine Expo and the annual TQHA Yearling Sale.

Now in its tenth year, the TQHA Yearling Sale continues to grow in stature and will take place over two days in the air-conditioned comfort of the Pavilion Centre. A total of 329 yearlings will pass through the sales ring during the sale, which will begin at 12:00 noon each day.

Each year some first-class American Quarter Horses emerge from this event, including 2003 AQHA World Champion, Oak Tree Special, who was purchased in the 2001 TQHA Yearling Sale and Azoom, the leading 2-year-old in the nation in wins in 2004, who was spotted in the 2003 sale. The first crop of Azoom: two fillies and one colt have been consigned to this year’s sale.

The most recent champion is Snowy Alibi, who was purchased for $38,000 at the 2005 TQHA Yearling Sale, won the $343,305 TQHA Sale Futurity last summer and captured the $67,000 Bayer Legend Texas Derby Challenge two weeks ago. The TQHA Yearling Sale is open to the public and is a very fast-paced and entertaining event.

Racing fans are in for a treat as the TQHA Summer Showdown stakes on Friday night include the $45,000-Added Barnmaster Sprint Stakes (RG3) run at 250 yards; the $25,000-Added TQHA Starter Stakes at a distance of 350 yards; the $50,000-Added Ancira Ford Stakes (RG3) will be run 400 yards; and the $45,000-Added TQHA “550” Stakes (RG3) at a distance of 550 yards. On Saturday, July 28, Sam Houston Race Park will host the finals of the 2007 TQHA Sale Futurity with the ten fastest 2-year-olds from trials two weeks ago returning to compete for a record purse of $372,622.

The Equine Expo, also at Sam Houston Race Park , will be held in the Pavilion Centre on Friday, July 27 and Saturday, July 28 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. A diverse array of booth exhibitors will display equine merchandise, including services and products geared to not only racing, but also to all equine-related interests.

Announcer Wilfredo Gonzalez y Moreno to Call Races at Sam Houston Race Park

Sam Houston Race Park will host the TQHA Summer Showdown on Friday, July 27, with four stakes on the ten-race card. Track announcer Michael Chamberlain will welcome a special guest to his announcer booth as Wilfredo Gonzalez y Moreno will call two races in Spanish.

Moreno has over 22 years of experience announcing races in Mexico at the Hipodromo de las Americas in Mexico. He has called races at several prominent tracks in Mexico and has an extensive media background. Moreno was affiliated with Grupo Acir, one of the most prominent radio stations in Mexico. He also did television reporting and analysis for Televisa and PSN Toda America Latina.

“We are pleased to welcome Mr. Gonzalez y Moreno to Sam Houston Race Park for one of our biggest weekends of the American Quarter Horse Meeting,” said Eric Johnston, racing secretary. “Our horsemen, racing fans and all the prospective buyers for the TQHA Yearling Sale are sure to enjoy his race calls on Friday night.”

No Ordinary Dash Fastest Qualifier in the Sam Houston Maiden Classic

Trials were run on Friday, July 20 for the $40,600 Sam Houston Maiden Classic. The first trial produced the fastest qualifying time as No Ordinary Dash crossed the wire of the 350-yard dash in :17.586. The 3-year-old Royal Quick Dash filly is owned by Hernando G. Guerra and trained by Bobby Martinez and was ridden by J. R. Ramirez.

The ten fastest qualifiers will return for the final on Saturday, August 4.

Leading Rider Arturo Puga Looks Forward to the TQHA Summer Showdown

American Quarter Horse jockey Arturo Puga has not relinquished his lead in the rider standings at Sam Houston Race Park and continues to introduce a new hair color each week. The 18-year-old is fresh off his first riding title at Retama Park and wants to show racing fans his fun side. He arrived at Sam Houston Race Park with blue hair and has dyed it several colors since the meet began.

“I am thinking of going pink this Saturday to match the saddle cloth of my horse in the stakes,” said Puga, who will ride # 8 Glimpse of Greatness in the TQHA Sale Futurity.

Puga, who was born in Jalisco , Mexico , is the current leader in the jockey standings with 19 wins from 85 starts. He is named on seven horses on the Friday night card and nine this Saturday at Sam Houston Race Park.

It should be FUN!!! I am going to try to get there as soon as possible this afternoon to catch SOME of the sale (Garrett is already there helping an old friend)...

I LOVE this weekend! SOOOO much fun!