HOUSTON, TX- Sam Houston Race Park will shine the spotlight on the state’s Thoroughbred stars Saturday, March 22 with seven Texas Champions Day stakes. One of the top programs each year at the northwest Houston racetrack gets underway at 1:00 pm (Central).
 
Previews of the $100,000 Texas Thoroughbred Association Oaks and Derby as well as the $75,000 Star of Texas, presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance were previously announced and can be viewed on shrp.com. Excellent fields for the $75,000 Spirit of Texas, $75,000 San Jacinto Stakes, $75,000 Yellow Rose and $75,000 San Jacinto Stakes are also assembled for the afternoon program.
 
Too Much Action and Turn North Headline the $75,000 Spirit of Texas, 
The first stakes on the Texas Champions Day program is the $75,000 Spirit of Texas which is set as the sixth race on the program. Eight Texas accredited colts and geldings, four years old and up, will travel six furlongs on the main track. 
 
Too Much Action, owned by owned by Jeff Scott, Penny Scott, Bradley Thoroughbreds LLC, Danielle Ferguson and Parker Ferguson, was the winner of this stakes in 2023. The 6-year-old son of Too Much Bling won the 2024 David E Hooper Stakes and ran third in this year’s edition of the seven furlong stakes last month.
 
“He needed that race,” said trainer J. R. Caldwell. “Some of the other horses he has faced in previous Texas-bred stakes are entered in the (one-mile) Star of Texas. “I like his chances in this sprint.”
 
Too Much Action, who has earned $327,046 in 24 starts, returns as the 4-5 favorite with jockey Rene Diaz in the saddle with leading rider Stewart Elliott piloting Caldwell’s other entrant Steve Dupy’s Sunday Bling.
 
Turn North has improved in each of his three efforts this season at Sam Houston Race Park and exits a victory in a $34,000 allowance on February 28 under rider DeShawn Parker, who has the return call at odds of 7-2. The 4-year-old gelding by Classic Empire is bred and owned by Russell Welch and will be saddled by Abel Ramirez-Rodriguez.
 
Madelon L. Bradshaw’s Chief Brady, winner of 2022 Jim’s Orbit at Sam Houston Race Park, has competed in two editions of the Spirit of Texas. The chestnut son of Bradester will make his 27th career start for trainer Steve Roubion, under rider Ernesto Valdez-Jiminez. 
 
No Mas Tequila and Imaluckycharm Renew Their Esteemed Rivalry in $75,000 San Jacinto Stakes
Two turf features on Saturday will take place with eight experienced fillies and mares entered in the $75,000 San Jacinto at the distance of one mile on the Connally Turf Course as race eight. 
 
The compelling rivalry and unique story line in the San Jacinto features two defending champions and half -sisters: Imaluckycharm and No Mas Tequila, both trained by Karen Jacks. 
 
Imaluckycharm is a 6-year-old daughter of My Golden Song  out of the Street Boss mare Foxy Boss, purchased for $38,000 at the 2020 Texas Yearling Sale by Carl Moore Management, LLC. The dark bay mare has been prominent at the stakes level for the past three years and drew the far outside post as the 4-5 choice. With 12 turf wins to date,, including a victory in the 2023 San Jacinto, Imaluckycharm, has already earned $442,618. .Jockey  Ernesto Valdez-Jiminez will be in the saddle.
 
The very accomplished No Mas Tequila is owned by James Sills and is the defending champion. The 8-year-old daughter of Northern Afleet  bred by Ronald Ellerbee and Margaret Ellerbee, is also out of Foxy Boss. The multiple stakes winners at Sam Houston Race Park and Remington Park has made 40 career starts, banking $500,039 and will be ridden by Lindey Wade on Saturday afternoon.
 
Jacks has watched the accomplished mares face each other in turf stakes for the past three years at Sam Houston Race Park and often quips that she just closes her eyes and hopes for a good finish by both. Saturday’s race will likely be very emotional for the dedicated conditioner as this will be their last time facing each other
 
“Both mares doing fabulously and are in top form heading into the stakes on Saturday,” she said. “I still  can’t predict who will shine brighter on the day, but it’s a pleasure just to watch them run together! It’s farewell to racing for Miss No Mas Tequila as she will head off to Kentucky to be bred after the race!”
 
No Mas Tequila will be greatly missed on the racetrack; here’s to hoping she will be as prolific in the breeding shed as she has been as a Texas champion turf star!
 
Star Bright Thoroughbreds homebred Sky Rocker has run three times this season for trainer Mindy Willis and the 5-year-old Sky Kingdom mare will reunite with jockey David Cabrera in the San Jacinto. She defeated Imaluckycharm in a turf allowance on January 25 prior to finishing second in the $75,000 Miss Bluebonnet, which was taken off the turf on the Texas Preview card. Several other competitors in the Miss Bluebonnet are entered including Take My Picture, Blood Orange, Bluebonnet Girl and Blue Heavenly.
 
 
Too Much Kiki 2024 Texas Horse of the Year Faces Ten Fillies and Mares in the $75,000 Yellow Rose
Older fillies and mares will vie in the $75,000 Yellow Rose with 2024 Texas Horse of the Year Too Much Kiki installed as the 6-5 choice in the six furlong main track feature. 
 
Truly a “Horse for the Course” here at Sam Houston Race Park,  the 2022 TTA $100,000 sale topper picked up her fourth win from five starts here on February 9 when she tallied a 2 ¾ win, as a prep for the Yellow Rose. With three consecutive stakes victories here in 2024 and a second place finish (to Miss Code West) in last year’s $100,000 TTA Oaks, Too Much Kiki was honored by the Texas Thoroughbred Association as Horse of the Year.
 
Following her success in Houston last year, she made two starts at Lone Star Park, finishing an uncharacteristic seventh in the Valor Farm last July. Trainer Bret Calhoun decided that a break was in order for the talented filly, bred by Danele Durham, out of Soft Music, by Action This Day.
“She had run so well for a long time, but her last race was not good,” he stated. “Landon is a very supportive owner and agreed that she needed a freshening.”
From her first work here on January 26, it was clear that Kiki had plenty more in the tank. She won her first race as a 4-year-old under leading rider Stewart Elliott, who will be aboard on Saturday.
 
“I love her draw for Saturday’s stakes,” added Calhoun. “Stewart rode her with confidence (on February 9), and I will leave her trip in his hands.”
 
Calhoun has also entered Successfulpath, a 4-year-old daughter of Too Much Bling, bred and owned by Wayne Sanders and Larry Hirsch. She won her prep here on January 25 and will be ridden by Jose Alvarez.
 
Other notable contenders include Reclusive, trained by Tina Hurley, who won the $100,00 Regret Stakes last July at Monmouth Park and Billy Clevenger’s homebred Izatiz, winner of the 2023 Bara Lass here. 

Sunlit Song in Pursuit of his Third Victory in the $75,000 Richard King 
The second turf feature of the Texas Champions Day card is the $75,000 Richard King Stakes for 4-year-olds and upward at a mile and one-eighth on the Connally Turf Course.  Always a very exciting race, this year’s edition features many of the top turf males in Texas, including 2023 Horse of the Year Sunlit Song.
 
The 10-year-old son of My Golden Song, bred in Texas by Carolyn Barnett is owned by Barnett and Becky Harding. The intrepid gray gelding will make his 48th lifetime start on Saturday for trainer Mindy Willis. Winner of the 2021 and 2023 editions of the Richard King, his racing schedule has been limited this season as rain forced his previous stakes off the turf. With a career record of 19 wins and earnings of $783,839,Sunlit Song is always a fan favorite here at Sam Houston Race Park.
 
Sam Houston Race Park’s leading rider Stewart Elliot has been one of Sunlit Song’s top pilots over the past two years He will guide his mount from post position seven at odds of 2-1
 
“He had nowhere to go in his prep race (on March 2),” said Willis, who will also saddle Silence D’Oro and Royal Terka). “All we hope for is a clean trip. This horse has given me, Carolyn and Becky more than we have ever imagined.”
 
In addition to the three Willis trainees, Jayde Gelner will saddle Mor Victory for Norman Stables LLC. The 5-year-old son of Mor Spirit won two turf races last year at Remington Park and will be ridden by Isaiah Wiseman from post position nine.

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.

Photo credit:  
Jack Coady Photography