2010 Lone Star Park Thoroughbred Meet Features 21 Stakes Worth More Than $2.2 Million

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas (Friday, Jan. 15, 2010) –  Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie announced today that the track’s 2010 Spring Thoroughbred Season will feature 21 stakes, including four Grade 3 races, worth more than $2.2 million in purses.  The 60-day meet is scheduled for Thursday, April 8 through Sunday, July 18, 2010.

The season’s centerpiece is Lone Star Million Day, Texas’ richest day of Thoroughbred racing with purses totaling $1 million, which will be held for the 12th consecutive year on Memorial Day, Monday, May 31.  Two graded stakes events top the holiday card -- the Grade 3, $300,000 Lone Star Park Handicap (3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles) and Grade 3, $200,000 Ouija Board Distaff (fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, at one mile on the turf). 

“Like many other major racetracks across the United States, we’ve had to review our stakes offerings for the 2010 meet,” said Lone Star Park President and General Manager Drew Shubeck. “With the cooperation of the horsemen and breeders, we’ve made adjustments to the stakes schedule in order to preserve our overnight purse levels and ensure that we maintain the quality of our day-to-day racing product.”

In addition, there are five other stakes scheduled for Memorial Day including, the $150,000 Dallas Turf Cup Handicap (3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles on turf); three $75,000 stakes -- the Valid Expectations Stakes (fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, at six furlongs), USA Stakes (3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on turf), and Cinemine Stakes (3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs); plus the $50,000 Carter McGregor, Jr. Memorial Stakes (Texas-bred 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs).  Previously, the Dallas Turf Cup was run at a 1 1/8 miles on turf.

The Grade 3, $200,000 Lone Star Derby for 3-year-olds (1 1/16 miles) on Saturday, May 8, highlights the meet’s second richest day, which includes two $100,000 Texas Stallion Stakes for 3-year-olds, with a division for colts and geldings and the other for fillies both to be run at 1 1/16 miles.

Another highlight of the 2010 meet will be Lone Star Million Preview Day on Saturday, April 24, featuring three races that will serve as preps for Lone Star Million Day including the Grade 3, $200,000 Texas Mile Stakes (3-year-olds and up at one mile), plus the $50,000 Grand Prairie Turf Challenge (3-year-olds and up at a mile on turf) and $50,000 Irving Distaff (fillies and mares, 3-years-old and up, at 7 ½ furlongs on turf).  The Grand Prairie Turf Challenge previously was for 3-year-olds only.

Texas-breds and progeny of Texas stallions will be showcased in four stakes races on Saturday, July 10 in the 10th annual Stars of Texas Day.  The card is highlighted by two divisions of the $100,000 Texas Stallion Stakes (2-year-olds at 5 ½ furlongs); the $75,000 Assault Stakes (Texas-bred 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles) and $50,000 Valor Farm Stakes (Texas-bred fillies and mares, 3-years-old and up, at 6 furlongs)

Other key Spring Thoroughbred Season dates will be simulcasts of the Triple Crown: the Kentucky Derby from Churchill Downs on Saturday, May 1, the Preakness Stakes from Pimlico Race Course on Saturday, May 15, and the Belmont Stakes from Belmont Park on Saturday, June 5.

          Lone Star Park’s 60-day 2010 Spring Thoroughbred Season will run four days a week every Thursday and Friday at 6:35 p.m. (except Thursday, June 3 when there will be no live racing), and Saturday and Sunday at 1:35 p.m. starting on April 8.  The Lone Star Million Day program on Memorial Day will start at 1:35 p.m. and special twilight programs with post-race holiday fireworks on Saturday, July 3 and Sunday, July 4 (Lone Stars & Stripes Fireworks Celebration) will commence at 5 p.m.  (All times are Central Time).

Lone Star Park’s 29-day, 2010 Fall Meeting of Champions for American Quarter Horses will be held from Sept. 17 to Nov. 13.  For more information on Lone Star Park visit LoneStarPark.com.

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