Sam Houston Race Park has released its 2026 race meet schedule and stakes line up.

© Jack Coady Photography

By Leann Noguera, StallioneSearch

HOUSTON, TX–NOVEMBER 21, 2025–Sam Houston Race Park has released its full Quarter Horse and APHA stakes schedule for the 2026 racing season. The meet will run April 16 through June 13, with live racing every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evening starting at 6:30 p.m.

The season opens on April 17 with trials for the inaugural Texas Breeders’ Futurity, a $75,000-added event that is the only futurity in the state exclusively for Texas-bred juveniles. The final will be held on May 9, sharing the card with six other stakes races, including the Sam Houston Classic (G2) and John Deere Juvenile (G3).

The track will also debut the Sam Houston Oaks, which will be featured on the same night as the Sam Houston Derby and Sam Houston Futurity. Nominations for these stakes races are due December 15, 2025.

Trials for the Sam Houston Futurity (G2) are scheduled for May 22–23, leading into the $150,000-added final on June 13 at 350 yards. The Sam Houston Derby (G3), offering $100,000 added, and the Sam Houston Oaks will also run that evening following trials on May 21.

Three existing stakes receive new graded status for 2026. The Sam Houston 550 and Jesse Yoakum Memorial Stakes have both been elevated to G3, while the Willie Hickman Memorial Stakes moves up to G2.

The track’s additional graded stakes lineup remains strong, including the Sam Houston Classic (G2), Sam Houston 550 Stakes (G3), Governor’s Cup Marathon (G3), the John Deere Juvenile (G3), and multiple major Paint and Appaloosa events such as the Colors of Houston Futurity (G2) and the Colors of Texas Paint Maturity (G2).

Sam Houston Race Park will feature special post times at 10:30 a.m. on Kentucky Derby day (May 2) and shifting to 1 p.m. for the Preakness on Saturday, May 16, 2026, and again setting a 1:00 p.m. start for the Belmont on Saturday, June 2, 2026.

Sam Houston Race Park’s complete 2026 stakes schedule is as follows:

Friday, April 17, 2026
$10,000 Texas Breeders Futurity Trials

Friday, April 24, 2026
$10,000 John Deere Juvenile Trials
$10,000 Q-Racing Video Distance Challenge Trials
$10,000 Adequan Derby Trials

Saturday, May 9, 2026
$75,000g Sam Houston Classic (G2)
$40,000a John Deere Juvenile (G3)
$30,000a Q-Racing Video Distance Challenge
$40,000a Adequan Derby
$75,000a Texas Breeders Futurity
$50,000a Leon Bard Memorial Stakes
$50,000a John Buchanan Memorial Stakes

Thursday, May 21, 2026
$10,000 Sam Houston Derby Trials
$10,000 Sam Houston Oaks Trials

Saturday, May 23, 2026
$10,000 Sam Houston Futurity Trials

Saturday, June 6, 2026
$40,000a Colors of Houston Futurity (G2)
$20,000a Colors of Texas Paint Maturity (G2)
$15,000 Guaranteed Colors of Houston Juvenile

Saturday, June 13, 2026
$150,000a Sam Houston Futurity (G2)
$50,000a Willie Hickman Memorial Stakes (G2)
$50,000a Jesse Yoakum Memorial 870 Stakes (G3)
$50,000g Governors Cup Marathon (G3)
$100,000a Sam Houston Derby (G3)
$50,000a Sam Houston 550 Stakes (G3)
$50,000a Sam Houston Oaks
$50,000a Miss Sam Houston Stakes
$50,000a Sam Houston 250 Stakes

For additional information or nomination forms for the Sam Houston Futurity, Derby or Oaks, visit CLICK HERE.

Contact racing secretary Mike Acton at mike.acton@pennentertainment.com or 405-886-6168 for additional information.

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