The Texas Thoroughbred Association is pleased to introduce a revamped Texas Thoroughbred Association Futurity and the new Texas Thoroughbred Association Derby and Oaks, with purses totaling more than $500,000.
The races are restricted to horses that go through the ring at the upcoming Texas Summer Yearling Sale on August 30 or the Texas 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale this coming spring. Horses need not be Texas-breds to be eligible, and the new format eliminates the previous payment schedule.
“In the last two years, Texas Thoroughbred racing has shown a resurgence due to the increased purse money at Lone Star Park and Sam Houston Race Park,” said Mary Ruyle, executive director of the TTA. “To continue to build on that progress, the TTA has revamped the Futurity and created a Derby and Oaks with significantly increased purses for all those races. We look forward to our yearling sale on August 30. Our goal is to create greater value for breeders, consignors and buyers.”
The revamped Texas Thoroughbred Association Futurity will feature divisions for 2-year-old fillies and colts/geldings with $150,000 guaranteed for each division. Both divisions will be run at 5 ½ furlongs on closing weekend of the 2022 Lone Star Park Thoroughbred meet. The races previously offered purses of approximately $100,000 apiece.
The new Texas Thoroughbred Association Derby and Oaks will be held at Sam Houston Race Park in 2023. The Derby and Oaks will be run on the dirt at a distance of one mile or more. Both races will carry purses of $100,000-added.
More information will be posted soon at texasthoroughbred.com and ttasales.com.
CLARIFICATION: ATB BERTH ENTRIES WILL STILL BE ALLOWED. The consignor and buyer of any yearling that goes through the ring on August 30th will receive a berth to be filled with an Accredited Texas-Bred foal of 2020. Berths must be declared to TTA by December 31, 2021 with a one-time payment of $500. There are no other sustaining payments. There will be an entry and start fee payable to Lone Star Park at the appropriate time.