HOUSTON, TX-  Sam Houston Race Park will host its annual Houston Racing Festival program on Saturday, January 25. The 10-race program begins at 1:00 pm (Central) and fans will have an opportunity to enjoy two features for accredited Texas-breds. Colts and geldings will compete in the $75,000 Gexa Groovy and their female counterparts in the $75,000 Bara Lass. Sunny skies have returned to Houston with Saturday afternoon temperatures expected to reach the low 60’s.
 
Ring Seeker Faces Nine Rivals in the $75,000 Gexa Groovy
Stakes action on Saturday afternoon kicks off with the running of the $75,000 Gexa Groovy with ten accredited Texas-bred colts and geldings competing at six furlongs in the sixth race of the program. 
 
Hall of Fame conditioner Steve Asmussen sends in the highly accomplished Ring Seeker, who won the $75,000 My Dandy in Houston on opening weekend. Ring Seeker’s accomplishments last year were plentiful; 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 William. 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 $100,000 Zia Park Juvenile on November 26. He was honored as Texas Thoroughbred Champion colt and began his 3-year-old campaign with a victory in the $75,000 My Dandy here on January 4 under Stewart Elliott, who has the return call, from the far outside post  at odds of 2-1. 
 
Asmussen will also be represented by Tom Sawyer, owned by Gary Van West, Jeff Hooper and Charles G. Mansfield and  A. J. Foyt, Jr. s’ homebred Famous Highway in the Gexa Groovy. Isaac Castillo will pilot Tom Sawyer, a colt by Practical Joke, bred by Michael J. Mazoch & Linda Mazoch, who broke his maiden here on opening night. Famous Highway, by Highway to Fame, won here on January 4 and will make his stakes debut with Manny Franco in the saddle.
 
“Ring Seeker is doing well, and we hope he will continue his success in Texas-bred stakes competition for Mr. Farish,” said Asmussen. “Both Tom Sawyer and Famous Highway will need to step up but deserve an opportunity to move up the ranks.”
 
Mikel W, owned by Lynn Haverkamp and Rodney Fleenor, ran a game second to Ring Seeker in the My Dandy, despite dropping his rider Iram Diego in the post parade. Diego will guide the son of Bradester, bred by Lynn Havercamp.
   
“We were all surprised when he misbehaved in the My Dandy,” admitted Padilla. “Iram knew the horse had talent but just needed experience. “He’s always been a calm horse in the barn and since the race, we have schooled him and been pleased with his training.”
 
The Gexa Groovy will run as the sixth race on the program, at 3:30 pm (Central). The field from the rail, with riders and morning-line odds: Texas Creed, Ernesto Valdez-Jiminez, 30-1; Essay, Jose Alvarez,15-1; Bergheim, Floyd Wethey Jr. 6-1; Tizabling, David Cabrera, 10-1; Midnight Humor, Elvin Gonzalez, 20-1; Uptown Tappin, Mario Fuentes, 15-1; Tom Sawyer, Isaac Castillo, 9-2; Famous Highway, Manny Franco, 8-1;  Mikel W, Iram Diego 7-2 and Ring Seeker, Stewart Elliott; 2-1. 

The stakes is named after one of the top Texas-bred Thoroughbreds who earned over $1.3 million in his career. Groovy was the son of Norcliffe and owned by Prestonwood Farm. He was honored with the Eclipse Award in 1987 as champion sprinter and as a stallion, sired more than 220 winners, of which 18 were stakes winners. 

Classy Group of Fillies to Match Strides in the $75,000 Bara Lass
Nine Texas accredited-bred fillies will compete in the eighth race, the $75,000 Bara Lass, also to be run at six furlongs on the main track. 
 
The morning line favorite is Joe Politi’s  Modo, who will make her third start for trainer Tom Amoss. Bred in Texas by Stoneview Farm, the daughter of Liam’s Map out of Lemon Drop Kid mare Academy Road, sold for $90,000 at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. She made her debut last November at Churchill Downs and exits a victory in a $110,000 maiden special weight at Oaklawn Park on December 25. Amoss, who is also sending in contenders for the Houston Ladies Classic and Connally Turf Cup, has given the mount to Edgar Morales. She drew post position three at odds of 9-5. 
 
Steve Asmussen, who captured his 16th leading Sam Houston Race Park training title last April, will be represented by three quality Texas-bred fillies. Glee, owned by Mike Rutherford, has won three of her seven starts, and already banked $138,634. This will mark her Sam Houston debut following stakes appearances at Keeneland, Prairie Meadows, Remington Park and most recently, Oaklawn Park.
 
“She’s a two-time open stakes winner, off a very tough fourth-place finish in the $175,000 Years End Stakes at Oaklawn (on December 29),” said Asmussen. “We look for a good effort as she faces Texas-breds.”
 
Trainer Bret Calhoun who won the 2024 Bara Lass with TTA Horse of the Year Mansfield Racing’s Too Much Kiki, has two entrants in this year’s edition.  Blingster, a Bradester filly purchased by Mansfield Racing for $26,000 at the 2023 Texas Thoroughbred Association Yearling Sale won the $75,000 Darby’s Daughter on January 4 and will be ridden by Jose Alvarez. Richard Chandler’s homebred is slated to make her first Sam Houston start with jockey Reylu Gutierrez in the saddle.
 
The Bara Lass will run as the eighth race on the program, at 4:30 pm (Central). The field from the rail, with riders and morning-line odds:  Blingster, Jose Alvarez, 6-1; Naval Woman, Jermaine Bridgmohan,10-1; Modo, Edgar Morales 9-5; Tapitures Actor, Floyd Wethey, Jr., 15-1; Glee, Stewart  Elliott, 5-2; Quinquela,  Isaac Castillo, 20-1; Evening Edge, Manny Franco, 20-1;  Global Holiday, DeShawn Parker; 30-1 and Wauneka. Reylu Gutierrez; 4-1. 

This stakes honors Bara Lass, a daughter of Barachois, who was bred in Texas by Sam E. Stevens. She won 17 of her 60 starts in her career, including the 1984 Santa Monica Handicap(G3) and Barbara Fritchie Handicap(G3) before retiring with career earnings of $542,362. Throughout most of her career, the talented Texas-bred mare was trained by legendary Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas.
 
Texas Thoroughbred Association  (TTA) Winners Announced
The Texas Thoroughbred Association (TTA) announced their 2024 champions on January 20 and quite a few of the winners earned their points while competing at Sam Houston Race Park last year. Too Much Kiki, sired by top Texas Stallion Too Much Bling was honored as TTA Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old filly.Trained by Bret Calhoun and owned by Landon Jordan's Mansfield Racing, she won three stakes in the Sam Houston Race Park meet, earning $258,000. Her success also earned her breeder Danele Durham, who owns Too Much Kiki’s dam, Soft Music, Breeder of the Year honors. 
The complete list is as follows:
•         2-year-old filly: Tapitures Actor (by Tapiture); Owner: Jayde Gelner; Breeders: Paul Pruett and Simon Winston
•         2-year-old colt/gelding: Ring Seeker (by Too Much Bling); Owner/Breeder: W.S. Farish
•         3-year-old filly: Too Much Kiki (by Too Much Bling); Owner: Mansfield Racing; Breeder: Danele Durham
•         3-year-old colt/gelding: Victory for Vets (by Tapiture); Owner: James Stodola; Breeder: Asmussenequine.com
•         Older filly/mare: Reclusive (by Flat Out); Owner: Century Acres Farm; Breeder: Century Acres Farm
•         Older horse: Singapore Flash (by Shanghai Bobby); Owner: Triple V Racing; Breeder: Virginia Jago Elder
•         Broodmare of the Year: Soft Music (by Action This Day)
•         Horse of the Year: Too Much Kiki (by Too Much Bling); Owner: Mansfield Racing; Breeder: Danele Durham
 
Houston Racing Festival News and Notes
Manny Franco and Ben Curtis Make their First Appearances at Sam Houston Race Park
It’s always enjoyable for Houston racing fans to see some of the top jockeys in the country compete here and past visiting riders included Mike Smith, Jose Ortiz, Florent Geroux, Joel Rosario and Rosie Napravnik. Saturday will mark the first time that Manny Franco will be in town as well as Ben Curtis. Franco, a native of Puerto Rico, topped the rider standing at Aqueduct at the end of 2024, winning five of six races on the November 23 card. Off to a sensational start this year, he is currently the leading North American Thoroughbred rider by earnings, according to Equibase stats, with $823,571 (14 wins). Ben Curtis made his move from England last year, settling at Fair Grounds and finishing tenth in a very competitive jockey colony with 19 wins. He enjoyed the meet so much, he returned, represented for the second year by former Louisiana-based trainer Ron Faucheux. Curtis is currently fourth in the standings with 22 victories.
 
Locally, Stewart Elliott, who has won the last three Sam Houston titles, is in the lead in the standings with 18 wins since the 2025 meet kicked off on January 3. The well-respected veteran has seven calls on the Houston Racing Festival card. 

Four Seats Up for Grabs in the National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) Contest 
The Houston Racing Festival National Horseplayers Championship will take place Saturday, January 25 at Sam Houston Race Park. Registration is open for the contest with a $1,500 Bankroll Live Money format on the January 25 Sam Houston card and Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park. Four seats to the prestigious National Horseplayers Championship in Las Vegas will be awarded, with the winner’s choice to compete in the 2025 NHC Contest, or the 2026 final. For rules and additional information, click here.
 
Texas Style Hat Contest
Houston Racing Festival’s second annual Texas Style Hat Contest returns on Saturday, January 25th with a first-place prize of $500. The second-place prize will be a Winner’s Circle Restaurant certificate for four and third place will be a Winner’s Circle restaurant certificate for two.
 
Jockey Meet and Greet and Silent Auction Benefitting the PDJF
Meet the jockeys riding in the Houston Racing Festival in an autograph session at Noon. Fans can bid on silent auction collector’s items and much more! The event will benefit the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF) which provides financial assistance to former jockeys who have suffered catastrophic on-track injuries.

About Sam Houston Race Park
Sam Houston Race Park is Houston’s premier racing and entertainment facility, located just 15 miles northwest of downtown Houston. Owned by Penn Entertainment Inc. (NASDAQ – PENN), the racetrack, which opened in 1994, offers a variety of attractions for businesses, group outings and families during racing and the off-season. The track is best known for its award-winning dining and features multiple areas for fans looking for casual to upscale dining options including its Winner’s Circle Restaurant, Jockey Club, Luxury Suites and Pavilion Centre. For more information or tickets to upcoming live racing, concerts and events, please visit www.shrp.com or follow on: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok or YouTube.  

 
Photos:  Jack Coady Photography