A total of 16 trials will be held Friday and Saturday at Sam Houston Race Park for the track’s richest race, the $150,000-added Sam Houston Futurity (G2). Eight trials will be contested each evening with first post set for 6:30 p.m. CDT. The five fastest qualifiers from both nights will return for the 350-yard final on June 14.

The fourth trial on Friday stands out as it has three entrants with graded stakes experience, topped by Omar Arriaga’s homebred San Vandido. The Texas-bred colt by San Lorenzo is coming off a third-place effort in the $346,566 Louisiana Downs Futurity (G2) on March 29. The Jose Sanchez trainee kicked off his career with a one-length victory in his trial for that race. Eddie Sanchez will ride from post 6.

Melchor Mendez’s Famous Tequila, a filly by One Famous Eagle, also won a trial for the Louisiana Downs Futurity and finished seventh in the final after a slow start. The California-bred drew post 4 with Oliver Martinez named to ride for trainer Arturo Flores. 

Ocho Rojo, the betting favorite in the $419,735 Oklahoma Futurity (G2) on March 22 at Remington Park, will break from the rail with Victor Urieta Jr. in the irons for trainer Oscar Constancio Jr. Ocho Rojo, who is owned by Florentino Leon, earned the fastest qualifying time to the Oklahoma Futurity but finished 10th in the final after a tardy break. 

The seventh trial features Francisco Javier Garza and Carlos Ponce’s Kas He Tells You, who won his trial for the West Texas Futurity (G2) at Sunland Park and then came back to run third in the $50,000 West Texas Juvenile Stakes on April 5. The Tell Cartel gelding will be piloted by Victor Urieta Jr. for trainer Patrick Clemons. 

Saturday’s final trial features the richest horse entered over both days, as $77,247-earner Britts Special Candy will break from post 9 with Nestor Duran riding for trainer Clemons and owner Jose Antonio Cano. The daughter of Jess Good Candy put in a game effort last time out to take second in the Oklahoma Futurity after rolling to a 1 ¼-length win in her trial for that race. 

Britts Special Candy is the only horse with stakes experience entered on Saturday, but numerous promising maiden winners and solid trial race performers are set to compete. 

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