A Record Number of Trials for the Sam Houston Futurity - Long Day with Big Payoffs

Trials are an integral part of American Quarter Horse racing. There are few days more exciting than the Thursday afternoon in August at Ruidoso Downs when the nation's best 2-year-olds compete for one of the coveted 10 finalist posts in the All American Futurity. Texas had a taste of that excitement on Friday. Due to a record number of nominations for the Sam Houston Futurity, officials at Sam Houston Race Park ran 18 trials for the first futurity in the region. The standard post time of 7 p.m. was adjusted to 2 p.m. and a total of 168 talented 2-year-olds broke from the starting gate in well timed progression.

From a clear sunshine through sunset to the final race run at 9:56 p.m., the Top 10 qualifiers emerged and will compete for a record $595,000 on Saturday, April 9.

Owners Demonstrate Patience

Sergio Maldonado made the trip from Laredo, Texas, to see his colt, RC Straight Runaway, capture the third trial. Having purchased the horse at the Heritage Place Sale for $7,700, Maldonado was thrilled with the victory in :16.972. He and his wife had to settle in for a six-hour wait to see if their time would be good enough for a place in the finals.

"It feels beautiful," Maldonado commented. "We hope he qualifies, but we know he has a lot of potential."

The Bobby Touchet-trainee was the fourth-fastest qualifier and will return in two weeks.

Dr. Tommy Hays is one of the top Texas veterinarians with a practice in Elgin. He watched as Runaway Wagon, a colt he co-owns with Bobby Barnett, won the fourth race in :17.088, just missing the cut-off for the tenth fastest time of 17.075.

"At least you know he can run," Hays said.

Kathleen Matey, a respected Texas breeder and owner, made her way to the saddling paddock as Kearl saddled her first-time starter, Rose Rare in the 14th trial. Matey explained that running in the later trials is her preference as you have some idea of what it will take to qualify. Rose Rare ran greenly and finished fifth, but Matey was happy to see her homebred.

"I hadn't seen her since I took her picture for foal papers at six months," said Matey, who owned and bred Wowzer Won, an outstanding race mare who won 10 races including the 2010 Merial Distaff Texas Challenge.

Of course, without the owners, there would be no $595,000 overall prize as Sam Houston guarantees $100,000 from its purse account. The rest of the money is derived from owners who make payments at several intervals. The first payment of $200 was due Dec. 15; the first sustaining fee of $400 had to be paid by Jan. 15; the second sustaining payment of $600 was due on due by Feb. 15; a fee of $800 was due at the time of entry, and a supplemental payment of $10,000 could be paid at the time of entry as well. The winner's share is more than $350,000, so a top-placing in a futurity of this magnitude will more than cover the upfront expenditures.

Taxing Day for Trainers

Judd Kearl has won three Quarter Horse training titles at Sam Houston. He has a farm and training track several hours north of Sam Houston in Madisonville, Texas. Kearl had 17 runners paid into trials, so he was running at breakneck speed throughout the eight-hour race card.

"I had my first Five Hour Energy drink before the first race," Kearl said. "Around the 12th race, I was ready for another, but figured I'd never get to sleep tonight."

Kearl had no meritorious results through the first nine trials, but in the 10th, he saddled Skyy High Perry for owner and breeder James Cordell. The Stoli homebred filly was making her first start, and did it in impressive fashion under Rodrigo Vallejo, recording the second-fastest time of :16.909. The victory lifted Kearl's spirits better than any caffeine drink he might have had time to gulp. In the 17th trial, Vallejo booted home another winner, Jess Tee Off, a bay gelded son of Tres Seis. He had won his training race on March 9 and recorded the third fastest time of the card, winning his trial in :16.946.

Trainer Bobby Touchet, who won the 2007 Sam Houston Futurity with Check Cathy, got off to a good start, winning the third trial with RC Straight Runaway. The 2-year-old son of Winner's Award was foaled in Tennessee and broke his maiden at Louisiana Downs on March 7. He was just one of five starters on the card that had run prior to the trials. Touchet remained on the run throughout the day, saddling a total of 10 2-year-olds.

"I love the competition," he said.

RC Straight Runaway's time of :16.972 was the one to catch until the seventh race, when Special Royal Corona ran an amazingly professional and blazing fast effort in :16.891.

Trainer Felipe O. Garza just had one starter, and he made the most of his opportunity. His Corona Cartel colt, Special Royal Corona won his 330-yard trial in eye-popping time of :16.891 under rider Cipriano Vidana. The colt was purchased for $50,000 at the 2010 Heritage Place Sale by Javier Lujan of Mission, Texas.  

“The way the horse is bred; we knew he was going to be good,” Garza said. “He showed his talent within the first 90 days we had him in training.”

Special Royal Corona won the seventh trial and held through the final race. Garza said he will return to the farm in Mission and return to Houston for the final.

Other horsemen weren't as fortunate. Trainer Heath Taylor did not qualify any of his runners, nor did Eusevio Huitron or Rodolfo Sanchez. Each has multiple starters.

Trainer Alex Villareal won the 2005 Sam Houston Futurity with All American Winner. He was another trainer who had to chalk up the day to good experience for his horses.

"I only had two, and they didn't do very well," said Villareal. "But it's early in the year; we will just go on from here."

Sam Houston Race Park Staff Gets High Marks

From the racing office to the starting gate and track maintenance crew and everyone working in the main grandstand, running 18 races in one day was a big departure from the usual nine-to-10-race program.

Cindy Richards and Brian Stroud are the two Sam Houston Race Park outriders. Both used different horses during morning works to save their more experienced horses for the 18 races. Richards and her 15-year-old mount, "Blue," made it through the entire card.

"We got through the first 12 pretty easily," said Richards. "Fortunately, we had no loose horses, which saved us from making hard runs with our horses. Working the 17 training races (on March 9) legged our horses up for the futurity trials, but after three nights of racing and morning works, we are ready for a day off."

The Sam Houston valets had their hands full as well with eight more races than they usually work. The majority of the 2-year-olds were very well behaved in the paddock, but prior to the running of the 16th trial, La Jolla View, a filly making her racing debut for Elda Bustamante, took a 4-foot leap from her saddling stall when valet Rochard Spencer was tacking her up.

"People have no idea how dangerous our job is," Spencer said. "We are working with 2-year-olds with little racing experience in a very small space. What makes the difference in getting through a day with 18 trials is a great group of guys. We all help each other out."

Track announcer Tom Harris did an outstanding job, handling an assortment of announcing duties including paddock previews, updates on the 10 fastest qualifiers, promotional and sponsor messages and of course, 18 race calls. He did all with ease and professionalism, citing the "seventh inning stretch" at one point of the card.

All Eyes to the Finals

Racing fans are in for a treat on Saturday, April 9, when the 10 fastest qualifiers will return to compete in the marquee stakes of the 2011 Quarter Horse Meeting, the $595,000 Sam Houston Futurity (Grade 2).

The blood, sweat and tears of all the humans involved in the evolution of a weanling into a champion will be rewarded.

Obviously, there will only be one winner, but many of the finalists are paid into the Heritage Place, Ruidoso and Texas Classic futurities, so their talents may be seen throughout the year. For those who did not qualify, time and experience are on their side.

Should be an amazing year for the 2-year-olds.

Martha Claussen has been prominent in the Texas racing industry since 1997 as a publicist, writer and handicapper. Joined SureBet in 2009.
Email: mclaussen50@yahoo.com