Texas Commission Approves 42-Day Lone Star 2021 Season

During a teleconference meeting Sept. 29, the Texas Racing Commission approved a schedule for 2021 race dates in which Sam Houston Race Park and Lone Star Park will be the only tracks to run Thoroughbred meets in the state. The state's other major track, Retama Park, will run exclusively Quarter Horses next year.

Because Retama Park agreed to transfer some of its Thoroughbred purse money, Sam Houston extended its application and was approved for seven more days than what it had originally planned. The track will now run a 46-day Thoroughbred meet from Jan. 8-April 3 before Thoroughbred racing in the state shifts to Lone Star Park for a 42-day race meet from Apr. 16-July 18. Both Sam Houston and Lone Star will also run shorter Quarter Horse meets.

The 42-day meet by Lone Star is a reduction of approximately seven race days from historical averages since 2012, Mary Ruyle, executive director of the Texas Thoroughbred Association, told commissioners before their vote, while opposing the shorter schedule.

"By asking for and then publicizing a 42-day meet with three-day-a-week racing, many of the top stables and top horses will not be inclined to come to Lone Star for that type of schedule," she said. "Instead, Lone Star may end up attracting a quality of horses much less than they could be (by) stepping up to a more responsible position of offering 49 days, or four-day-a-week racing.

"Approving this 42-day meet with three days a week racing appears to tell horsemen around the country that we think like more of minor-league track than a major-league track, and we don't take our own product and our own momentum seriously. Lone Star may offer to add more dates later but if they do so, they stand the chance to lose incremental economic impact because the last-minute addition of race days won't bring more horses. It just spreads the onsite horse population thinner, as horsemen are making their plans early, very early in the year, perhaps even in the November, December calendar."

Kent Slabotsky, vice president of operations for Lone Star, said he understood the point of view of the TTA, but said that forecasting six months into the future amid COVID-19 is problematic. He also noted that 80% of its purse funds come from the import of simulcasts.

"We feel like it would be premature to guarantee a certain number of dates," he said. "At this time, there are provisions that allow us to ask for amendments and additions to the race dates."

At the suggestion of commissioners, Ruyle and Slabotsky agreed to continued discussions.