An electronic timer malfunction was detected resulting in an updated posting of qualifiers to Juvenile.

© Coady Photography

HOUSTON, TX–APRIL 25, 2024–On Friday, April 19, Sam Houston Race Park hosted six trials for the John Deere Juvenile Challenge(G3) as well as three trials for the Adequan Derby Challenge, with the ten fastest qualifiers advancing to the final on Friday, May 10.

The American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) contacted Sam Houston Race Park on Monday morning to inform the northwest Houston racetrack about a discrepancy in the validity of the reported qualifying times for the John Deere Juvenile Challenge. AQHA did an analysis and reached out to Sam Houston Race Park and communicated with the timing vendor, which is the company that manages the track's electronic timer, and was able to confirm that there was indeed a malfunction of the system.

"According to the rules, an average of the hand times for each race and calibrated remaining times according to the order of finish were used to determine the revised list," AQHA Chief Racing Officer Janet VanBebber said. "A notification was sent to the owners and to the Racing Council yesterday evening, along with the correspondences provided herein (which each include the pertinent revised lists)."

AQHA collaborated with the officials at Sam Houston Race Park and the Board of Stewards at the Texas Racing Commission to update the times accordingly to determine the revised list of qualifiers. 

CLICK HERE for the revised John Deere Sam Houston Juvenile Challenge list of qualifiers.

The list of Adequan Derby qualifiers remained the same, however the times were different. For the revised list of times to the Adequan Sam Houston Derby Challenge CLICK HERE.

The impacted parties have been notified by Sam Houston Race Park’s racing officials, and hair collection for their horses has been arranged.

“We think integrity in the sport is of utmost importance, and appreciate Sam Houston Race Park for acknowledging the timing issue, and working to rectify the matter,” VanBebber, added. “We want you to know that together with the racetracks and the regulators, we want only to protect the interest of horsemen and their horses.”

The final of the John Deere Juvenile Challenge and the Adequan Derby Challenge will be contested at Sam Houston Race Park on Friday, May 10, along with these additional stakes:

> $75,000 Sam Houston Classic(G2) 3 YO & Up 440 yards
> $50,000 John Buchanan Memorial Stakes 3 YO Fillies 350 yards
> $50,000 Leon Bard Memorial Stakes 3 YO 350 yards
> $20,000 Colors of Houston Derby 3 YO 350 yards

All Sam Houston Race Park races can be seen at Q-Racing Video.com.