Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie announced Jan. 15 that the track’s 2010 spring Thoroughbred meet will feature 21 stakes, including four grade III races, worth more than $2.2 million in purses. The 60-day meet is scheduled for April 8 through July 18.
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, May 31. Two grade III stakes events top the holiday card—the $300,000 Lone Star Park Handicap for 3-year-olds and up and the $200,000 Ouija Board Distaff for fillies and mares 3-year-olds 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.”
The $200,000 Lone Star Derby (gr. III) for 3-year-olds will be on May 8 and 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 April 24, featuring three races that will serve as preps for Lone Star Million Day including the $200,000 Texas Mile Stakes (gr. III).
Texas-breds and progeny of Texas stallions will be showcased in four stakes races on July 10 in the 10th annual Stars of Texas Day.
Lone Star Park’s meet will run four days a week, every Thursday-Sunday except for Memorial Day.
