HOUSTON, TX– The curtain will fall on the 2026 Sam Houston Quarter Horse Meet this week with full race cards on Thursday and Friday, followed by a spectacular 12-race program on Saturday evening to close out the season. By night's end, nearly $1.4 million in purse money will be distributed as the Grade 2 Sam Houston Futurity, Grade 3 Sam Houston Derby, and inaugural Sam Houston Oaks headline an action-packed card.
The stakes-filled evening will also feature the Jesse Yoakum Memorial Stakes (G2), Willie Hickman Memorial Stakes (G2), Governors Cup Marathon Stakes (G3), Sam Houston 550 Stakes (G3), Miss Sam Houston Stakes, and Sam Houston 250 Stakes, creating a championship atmosphere as Texas-breds compete for some of the richest purses of the season.
“With nine stakes events worth more than $1,371,400 on Saturday, the momentum is strong heading into our final weekend of the 2026 race meet,” said Sam Houston Race Park Racing Secretary Mike Acton.
In addition to the outstanding night of live racing, Saturday's festivities will include the return of two fan favorites: Shoppa's Lawn Mower Races and a Whiskey Tasting event. Fans can enjoy the unique spectacle of lawn mowers racing head-to-head across the turf before unwinding with a curated whiskey tasting featuring a selection of bold and smooth flavors.
$52,000 JESSE YOAKUM MEMORIAL STAKES-G2
The fourth race kicks off the stakes action on Saturday as six accomplished Texas-breds travel 870 yards around the turn in what has shaped up as a highly competitive distance event.
Fire Bolt B enters seeking his fifth consecutive victory after scoring in the $43,000 Sam Houston Distance Challenge-G3 last month, where he defeated Gjr Rooster by 1 1/4 lengths. The rivals will meet again Saturday evening, this time breaking side by side.
Fire Bolt B has won six of his 15 career starts and earned $85,173 for owners Tony Sedillo and RC Racing, LLC, who purchased him for $11,000 at the TQHA Yearling Sale.
The son of Bolt of Fire is out of the FDD Dynasty mare She A Elektra B and was bred in Texas by Bielau Oaks. Trained by Richard Sedillo, he will leave from post three with leading jockey Nestor Duran aboard.
Gjr Rooster has won two stakes races and finished second or third in five more over his last nine starts. The seasoned five-year-old gelding has hit the board in 17 of 22 starts and banked $177,292. He will start under jockey Gilberto Linares from post 2.
Eye Will Decide, the leading money earner in the field, is a multiple stakes winner with earnings of $201,142. He finished second to Gjr Rooster in last year's Lone Star Distance Championship and will be another strong competitor to keep an eye on, starting from the inside rail under Noe Villatoro.
$50,000 WILLIE HICKMAN MEMORIAL STAKES-G2
Seven Texas-bred runners aged three and older will line up for the 400-yard stakes, headed by Kas Prietito. The four-year-old son of Kas Tempting has won four of 13 starts and earned $106,666 for owners Fernando Soto and Rolando Soto.
Kas Prietito enters from the outside post following an impressive victory in the Grade 2 $75,000 Sam Houston Classic Stakes on May 9, where he drew away to win by 1 1/4 lengths. Bred in Texas by Rancho J S, he is out of the Azoom mare Marys Corazon. Trained by Sergio Fuentes, he will break from post seven with Luis A. Maldonado in the saddle.
Ima Chili enters as the leading money earner in the field with $234,759. The five-time stakes winner is coming off a runner-up finish in the Sam Houston Classic Stakes behind Kas Prietito. The son of Chilitos will break from post five under jockey Nestor Duran as he seeks redemption and another stakes victory.
$50,000 GOVERNORS CUP MARATHON STAKES-G3
Distance specialists return in the sixth race as a field of eight is set to cover 870 yards.
Pevs Kiote Moon draws the rail after a dominant seven-length victory at Remington Park, where he opened daylight on the field from start to finish. The son of Moonin The Eagle has won four races from 16 starts and earned $59,493 while carrying the colors of owner-trainer Riley Aguilar.
Pevs Kiote Moon is out of the Pyc Paint Your Wagon mare Ima Pyc China Doll and was bred by Gordon Pevehouse. Jacobo A. Aguilar has the mount from post one.
Thrill And Fury won his only start of the season and will be starting under Froylan Ramirez for owner Ubaldo Fuentes. The five-year-old son of Mister Fulton is coming off a third place finish before that in last year’s Lone Star Distance Championship. A five time winner, the Brittany Tellez trained gelding has earnings of $62,239.
$52,000 SAM HOUSTON 550 STAKES-G3
Nine Texas-breds are entered at the unique 550-yard distance, a trip several entrants will be tackling for the first time.
Top Cowboy returns for his first start of 2026 after posting a pair of 220-yard workouts in preparation. The five-year-old gelding has compiled three wins, three runner-up finishes, and four third-place efforts from 18 career starts while earning $76,558 for owners Rodrigo Gonzalez and Leviram Racing, LLC.
The son of Flying Cowboy 123 is out of the Pyc Paint Your Wagon mare Paradice City and was bred in Texas by Tyler and Naia Graham. Trainer Marc E. Jungers will send him from post five with Luis Vivanco aboard.
Leading money earner Onthrocks is a proven 550-yard stakes specialist who will be looking to rebound from a troubled trip in last month's Sam Houston Classic-G2. The son of A Revenant has compiled a record of 8-6-6 from 32 starts with earnings of $252,469, including five victories in 550-yard stakes events.
Back at his preferred distance, the seven-year-old gelding will have jockey Nestor Duran aboard as he seeks a sixth 550-yard stakes victory.
$50,000 MISS SAM HOUSTON STAKES
Ten Texas-bred fillies and mares will square off at 330 yards in the eighth race.
As Jess Louisiana Girl makes her first start of 2026, following a four-year-old campaign highlighted by a victory in the $60,000 Yellow Rose Texas Bred Stakes. The mare also hit the board in both the B.F. Phillips, Jr. Stakes and the Dr. Glenn Blodgett Stakes, accumulating earnings of $130,461 for owner Eleazar Martinez, Sr.
The daughter of Chilitos is out of the Louisiana Cartel mare Sissy Cartel. She was bred in Texas by Anahi Martinez and is trained by Victor G. Fierro. Regular rider Claudio Aguilar will break from post four.
Cowgurl Up will also make her first start of the season, but the daughter of Flying Cowboy 123 is a force to be reckoned with. The five-year-old mare won the Miss Retama Stakes and Lone Star Distaff Challenge before finishing second in the AQHA Distaff Challenge Championship-G1 in her last three starts.
Trained by Carlos Cruz Lopez, Cowgurl Up has a record of 5-1-2 from 11 starts with earnings of $118,999. She will be piloted by Raul Hernandez Jr. for owner P and J Racing Ltd.
$52,000 SAM HOUSTON 250 STAKES
The stakes parade continues in race nine as 10 Texas-breds square off over the lightning-fast 250-yard distance with Heza Fast Dynasty heading the field.
Heza Fast Dynasty ships in from Louisiana Downs after winning both of his starts this season at 220 yards. The six-year-old has displayed exceptional gate speed and quick acceleration, traits that could prove valuable in the evening's shortest race.
The son of Jr Dynasty Mountain is out of the Heza Fast Man mare Rockin Thunderella and was bred in Texas by owner Karla Retana Nejera. Rosa Ramirez trains the veteran, who will be ridden by Randy Edison, Jr.
Grace N Dash and Goodtime In Texas are the only other runners in the field entering off victories this season, both scoring by a length. Grace N Dash owns a record of 4-7-5 from 32 starts with earnings of $93,671, while Goodtime In Texas has compiled a mark of 6-5-2 from 22 starts with earnings of $89,731.
INAUGURAL $176,250 SAM HOUSTON OAKS
The stakes action among the three-year-old fillies begins in race 10 as the 10 fastest qualifiers from the May 21 trials return to compete over 400 yards. 
Bludz Valiant Policy established herself as the standout in the trials with a commanding 4 1/2-length victory in the opening heat, securing the fastest qualifying time while also entering as the leading money earner in the field. The filly has been flawless in 2026, winning both starts this season after qualifying for the Grade 2 $422,000 Dash for Cash Futurity during her two-year-old campaign.
Owned and bred in Texas by Three Bar T Quarter Horses, Bludz Valiant Policy has earned $56,720 and won four of six career starts. The daughter of Apollitical Blood is out of the Tres Seis mare Bp Tres Policies and is trained by Ben Olaveson. Luis L. Vivanco will ride from post two.
Political Looker is the only black-type earner in the Oaks field. The daughter of Corona Cartel finished third in the Big Easy Futurity during her freshman campaign and has hit the board in seven of nine starts while winning four races and earning $48,257, including her Oaks trial victory.
$234,500 SAM HOUSTON DERBY-G3
One of the meet's premier sophomore events takes center stage in race 11.
Royalist enters the final as the horse to beat after a strong late surge in his trial, winning by a neck while setting a new track record with the fastest qualifying time and a 115 speed index. The colt has won both starts this season and finished in the money in several major events, including the $308,000 EVD Futurity-G2 during his juvenile campaign.
Owned by Hector Reina, who purchased him for $120,000 at the Los Alamitos Yearling Sale, Royalist has earned $49,259. The California-bred colt is sired by Corona Cartel out of the One Famous Eagle mare Zigfield Follies and was bred by Veronica Gail Kawananakoa. Trained by Ben Olaveson, he will break from post six under Luis L. Vivanco.
Di KVN Waven and Eagle On A June Bug are among the more accomplished runners in the field. Di KVN Waven has won five of eight starts and earned $291,084. He captured both the TQHA Sires' Cup Futurity-G2 and Louisiana Downs Futurity-G2 last season.
Eagle On A June Bug has finished in the money in eight of 10 starts, recording five victories and earnings of $272,456. He was runner-up to Di KVN Waven in the Louisiana Downs Futurity-G2 and also finished second in the TQHA Sale Futurity-G1.
Ring A Ling Ding is the only other black-type runner entered. The multiple stakes-placed runner is coming off a third-place finish in the West Texas Derby earlier this season and also ran third in last year's Four Corners Futurity. He has compiled a record of 4-0-4 from 10 starts with earnings of $78,128.
$655,100 SAM HOUSTON FUTURITY-G2
The spotlight shines brightest in race 12 as the 10 fastest qualifiers from the 350-yard trial heats return for Sam Houston's premier futurity, which carries the third-largest purse in the history of the race.
Coronas First Cowboy heads the field after winning the second trial heat by a head to post the fastest qualifying time. The colt has won three of four career starts and previously qualified for the Grade 1 $541,000 Texas Breeders Futurity, where he finished fifth. Owned by Antonio Mercado, who purchased him for $62,000 at the TQHA Yearling Sale, the colt has already earned $39,490.
The Texas-bred son of Flying Cowboy 123  is out of the Corona Cartel mare Coronas First Diva and was bred by Paragon Farms, LLC. Trained by Marc E. Jungers, he will leave from post seven with Luis L. Vivanco aboard.
One of the most compelling storylines of the futurity centers on jockey Nestor Duran, who qualified five runners for the final. His chosen mount, Dk Bonita Jess, recorded the third-fastest qualifying time after winning her trial by a neck and enters as the leading money earner in the field. The filly has compiled a record of two wins and one second from three starts, including a runner-up finish in the Grade 2 $313,000 Louisiana Downs Futurity.
Owned by CH Horse Racing, LLC, and purchased for $120,000 at the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale, Dk Bonita Jess has earned $62,211. The daughter of Apollitical Jess is out of the Corona Cartel mare Marney Jo and was bred in Mexico by Cuadra La Presita. Trained by Miguel Pizana, she will break from post two.
As the final night of the Sam Houston meet unfolds, the card highlights the depth of Texas Quarter Horse racing, from rising two-year-old stars to accomplished three-year-old contenders. With championship honors, lucrative purses, and a memorable season finale on the line, the stage is set for an unforgettable night as Sam Houston Race Park closes another successful chapter in Texas racing.
The races at Sam Houston Race Park can be watched on Q-Racing Video.
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. It 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
• Coronas First Cowboy, Royalist, Bludz Valiant Policy and Kas Prietito