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Sam Houston Race Park

Sam Houston Race Park
The Stakes Have Never Been Bigger
LocationHouston, Texas
Coordinates29°55′49.53″N 95°31′43.23″W / 29.9304250°N 95.5286750°W / 29.9304250; -95.5286750
Owned byPenn Entertainment
Date openedApril 24, 1994
Capacity20,000
Race typeThoroughbred
and Quarter Horse
Course typeDirt & Turf
Official website

Sam Houston Race Park is a horse racing track located in unincorporated northwest Houston, Texas, United States. The park hosts both Thoroughbred and American Quarter Horse racing each year. The track strives to be a multi-purpose venue, hosting many festivals and events during its off seasons.

History

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Sam Houston opened on April 24, 1994, and was the first Class 1 Horse Racing venue constructed in Texas.[1] It cost approximately $90 million to construct. The Park was considered the fastest growing race track in America based on handle growth and quality of racing program over the past year several years.[2] The Park is named for Sam Houston who was an influential general and later president of the Republic of Texas. Kirwin Drouet, the original founder of Sam Houston Race Park, named the Park after him because of his significance to Texas and the fact that the track is located in Houston on Sam Houston Tollway (Beltway 8).

Sam Houston bought Valley Race Park, a greyhound track in Harlingen, in 2000.[3]

Sam Houston Race Park's largest attendance was recorded on July 4, 2008 with an attendance of 32,177.

In August 2017 Sam Houston opened its doors to the equine victims of Hurricane Harvey. The facility made it through the disaster with little damage and flooding, so they offered refuge to over 200 displaced horses in the Houston area. Their racing barns were empty at the time due to the live racing season having already ended for the year.[4]

In 2023, wagering declined 91 percent after they were no longer to export their signal to any other states due to an ongoing fight between HISA and the Texas Racing Commission.[5]

Horses in the Sam Houston Race Park paddock.

Races at Sam Houston

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The race track hosts two live race meets annually. Thoroughbred horse racing runs from January through early April. American Quarter Horse races are held from late April through early June. The rest of the year the Park is open for simulcast racing around the world. The races run the gambit of maiden special weights and claiming to graded stakes and handicaps.

Among many others, these are the races Sam Houston Race Park holds each year along with their purses:

Quarter Horse[6]

Open:

The race park in 2014

Filly/Mare:

American Paint Horse

Thoroughbred[7]

Open:

Sam Houston's Winner's Circle.

Colt/Gelding:

Filly/Mare:

Discontinued:

Horses crossing the finish line at Sam Houston.

Arabian

Open:

Colt/Gelding:

Filly/Mare:


Amenities

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Along with the 1-mile dirt track and 7-furlong turf course for the horses, Sam Houston Race Park offers 8 bars, 2 restaurants, Grandstand luxury suites: San Jacinto Suite, Celebration Suite, Director's Suite, Sam Houston Suite, and numerous House Suites.[8] The park contains many concession areas on the Paddock and Club levels.

Events

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Concerts

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Sam Houston Race Park hosts many concerts throughout each year. Each year the park hosts the ZiegenBock Music Festival, a smaller version of the Lone Star State Jam held in Austin, TX. A compilation of country music's finest artists and many of the up-and-coming start of Texas country music brings thousands out to Sam Houston Race Park each year for the festival. The strong history of concerts at Sam Houston Race Park includes names such as Gary Allan, the Grammy nominated Eli Young Band, Randy Rogers Band, Willie Nelson, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and international acts such as Hadiqa Kiani along with many more.[9]

Anthony Raneri performing at the 2009 Vans Warped Tour in Houston, TX at the Sam Houston Race Park

Dog Day at the Track

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One of the many light hearted events is the annual Wiener Dog Races, a family friendly event. Several Wiener Dog races are held throughout the day in between the live horse races.[10] This event is usually held in March.[11]

Annual Food Truck Festival

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A new addition to the park's list of events is the Annual Food Truck Festival which brings together many small business for a day of food and games for families. The food spans several cultures including; Mexican, Cajun, Italian, Greek, Americana, and many more. There is also dessert truck and a craft beer tasting from local breweries available.[12]

Guitars N' Cars Auto Show

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Guitars N' Cars Auto Show, presented by the Houston Construction Industry Charities (hosted by Sam Houston Race Park), is an annual car show with live music, food, and guitar vendors. All proceeds from Guitars N' Cars auto show go to help the Houston US Vets program to honor the veterans of Houston.[13]

Camel & Ostrich Races

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The annual Camel & Ostrich Races have become a fan favorite, normally held on a Friday and Saturday evening in early March during the Thoroughbred Meet. One race with Ostriches and one race with Camels are held between live horse races on each night. Both Ostriches and Camels carry riders during their races. There is no wagering permitted by law on the Wieners, Camels or Ostriches.

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Sam Houston Race Park Archived 2006-08-13 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ Sam Houston Race Park
  3. ^ Valley Race Park - About Us Archived 2013-10-29 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "Sam Houston Shelters Horses Displaced by Texas Flood". Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  5. ^ "Sam Houston Handle Down 92%, Texas Industry at Crossroads". 17 May 2023.
  6. ^ "2017 Sam Houston Race Park Quarter Horse Stakes Schedule" (PDF). Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  7. ^ "2018 Thoroughbred Stakes Schedule" (PDF). Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  8. ^ http://www.gohorsebetting.com/Sam_Houston_Race_Park>
  9. ^ "Fun Things to do in Texas". 7 October 2006.
  10. ^ "Wiener Dog Races". Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  11. ^ "Derby Dog Dash". Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  12. ^ "2nd Annual Food Truck Festival". Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  13. ^ "Guitars N' Cars Auto Show". Retrieved 3 January 2018.
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