A Place For Wiener's!
Sam Houston was the
first class I track to open in Texas in 1994 after racing had been
outlawed for nearly fifty years. It's predecessor Epsom Downs, closed in
1937 when wagering was banned in Texas.
On April 4, 1994 Sir
Fitzwillie with K. L. Sides up, crossed the finish line to become the
first Class I track winner in Texas history. Sam Houston shares time
with the other two class I tracks in Texas, having split Quarter Horse
and Thoroughbred meets. It is predominantly a night racing venue. Sam
Houston Race Course has a purse value of 23 making it the lowest in
Texas. There is no casino gaming or slot machines at Sam Houston.
In 2008 the fall/spring thoroughbred meet had to be cancelled due to damage caused by Hurricane Ike, The track recovered in time to run it's quarter horse meet in May, 2009.
In 2011 there was a downturn at Sam Houston at first they tried to drop their thoroughbred meet entirely, before settling on a shorter season. Half owner Penn National Gaming which is trying to get slots at the track has stated that increased purses from racino revenues do not improve the quality of racing or put more bettors in the stands. They feel there is not a large enough customer base as racing has failed to attract a younger audience, and the older generation is dying off. Sam Houston is scheduled to return in January of 2012.
In 2014 Sam Houston, is scheduled to run both a thoroughbred and quarter horse meet. One of the fun events at the track has been the annual Weiner Dog races. The dogs come out of a starting box and run thirty yards, between races. The top three dogs are awarded prizes and hot dogs are only a dollar.