Sponsored by: Trainer Todd Pletcher sending Fighting Force to Sam Houston to contest the $200,000 Texas Turf Mile Sam Houston Race Park will host its annual Houston Racing Festival on Sunday, January 31. A special post time of 1:45 pm (CT) has been set for the marquee day of the Houston, Texas, track s 2021 Thoroughbred meet with six featured stakes. Two graded stakes will be contested, the Grade 3, $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic and the Grade 3, $200,000 John B. Connally Turf. Full and highly competitive fields have been drawn for the remaining four undercard stakes, with an encouraging weather forecast for the Sunday afternoon program. Exceptional Group of 3-Year-Olds To Run in $200,000 Texas Turf Mile
Defending Lady Apple Tops Nominees To Houston Ladies Classic Sponsored by: Lady Apple winning the 2020 edition of the Grade 3 Houston Ladies Classic under Ricardo Santana Jr. Nominations have closed for the Houston Racing Festival at Sam Houston Race Park. The annual event, featuring six stakes and purses in excess of $1 million will be contested on Sunday, Jan. 31 with a special afternoon post time of 1:45 pm (CT). The Houston Racing Festival includes two graded stakes, the Grade 3, $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic and the Grade 3, $200,000 John B. Connally Turf. The Houston Ladies Classic, to be contested at 1 1/16 miles on the main track, closed with 22 nominations including 2020 champion Lady Apple. The 5-year-old daughter of Curlin out of the Clever Trick mare Miss Mary Apples is owned by Phoenix Thoroughbred III and KatieRich Farms.