Steve Sexton Mile to Key Lone Star Million Day Revival
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Photo: Dustin Orona Photography
Racing at Lone Star Park
After going on hiatus this year during COVID-19, the Steve Sexton Mile (G3) returns to Lone Star Park in 2021. The race is one of 20 stakes worth $2.25 million from the stakes schedule at the Texas track that was released Dec. 1.
After coming off of the highest average Thoroughbred export handle per day in track history in 2020, Lone Star Park will expand its racing schedule to 48 days next year, a move made after another Texas track, Retama Park, elected to focus on Quarter Horse racing. Lone Star ran 41 Thoroughbred days in 2018, 44 in 2019, and 37 in this COVID-19-altered year.
The Thoroughbred meet begins April 22 before concluding July 11 with racing on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Racing will occasionally take place on Thursdays and Mondays.
The richest races on the stakes schedule are the $400,000 Steve Sexton Mile, up from $300,000 when it was last contested in 2019, and a new race, the $300,000 guaranteed Texas Derby for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles. They anchor a Memorial Day, May 31 card that also includes the $200,000 Ouija Board Distaff and the $100,000 Chamberlain Bridge Stakes, another new addition. The track calls this a revival of Lone Star Million Day, which was last held in 2011.
Other than the $75,000 Bluebonnet Stakes, which kicks off the season on opening night, all other stakes will be held on one of four dates:
- Lone Star Million Day, Monday, May 31 — five stakes worth a total of $1,100,000
- Lone Star Showcase Day, Sunday, June 13 — five stakes worth a total of $350,000
- New Summer Turf Festival, Sunday, June 27 — four stakes worth a total of $300,000
- Stars of Texas Day, Saturday, July 10 — five stakes worth a total of $400,000
Purse levels will average an estimated $252,000 per day with maiden races at an estimated $36,000.
| Lone Star Park 2021 Thoroughbred Stakes Schedule | ||||
| Date | Race | Purse | Conditions | Distance |
| 4/22/2021 | Bluebonnet Stakes | $75,000 | F&M, 3YO+ (TX) | 6 1/2f |
| 5/31/2021 | Steve Sexton Mile (G3) | $400,000 | 3YO+ | 1m |
| 5/31/2021 | Texas Derby | $300,000 | 3YO | 1 1/16m |
| 5/31/2021 | Ouija Board Distaff | $200,000 | F&M, 3YO+ | 1m (T) |
| 5/31/2021 | Chamberlain Bridge Stakes | $100,000 | 3YO+ | 5f (T) |
| 5/31/2021 | Memorial Day Sprint | $100,000 | F&M, 3YO+ | 6f |
| 6/13/2021 | Lane's End Danny Shifflett Scholarship Stakes | $75,000 | F&M, 3YO+ (TX) | 7 1/2f (T) |
| 6/13/2021 | Wayne Hanks Memorial Stakes | $75,000 | 3YO+ (TX) | 6 1/2f |
| 6/13/2021 | Texas Stallion Stakes - Pan Zareta Division | $75,000 | 2YO fillies | 5f |
| 6/13/2021 | Texas Stallion Stakes - Staunch Avenger Division | $75,000 | 2YO colts & geldings | 5f |
| 6/13/2021 | Texas Horse Racing Hall of Fame Stakes | $50,000 | 3YO+ (TX) | 1 1/16m (T) |
| 6/27/2021 | Singletary Stakes | $75,000 | 3YO+ | 1 1/8m (T) |
| 6/27/2021 | Wasted Tears Stakes | $75,000 | F&M, 3YO+ | 1 1/16m (T) |
| 6/27/2021 | Grand Prairie Turf Sprint | $75,000 | 3YO+ | 5f (T) |
| 6/27/2021 | Chicken Fried Stakes | $75,000 | F&M, 3YO+ | 5f (T) |
| 7/10/2021 | Highlander Training Center Assault Stakes | $75,000 | 3YO+ (TX) | 1m (T) |
| 7/10/2021 | Valor Farm Stakes | $75,000 | F&M, 3YO+ (TX) | 6f |
| 7/10/2021 | Texas Thoroughbred Futurity - Filly Division |
$100,000*
|
2YO fillies | 5 1/2f |
| 7/10/2021 | Texas Thoroughbred Futurity - Colt/Gelding Division |
$100,000*
|
2YO colts & geldings | 5 1/2f |
| 7/10/2021 | Fiesta Mile Stakes | $50,000 | F&M, 3YO+ (TX) | 1m (T) |
| * Estimated ($50,000 added) | ||||