Sam Houston Sees Increase in Wagering, Attendance

The 2026 Thoroughbred Season at Sam Houston Race Park concluded Saturday with sizable increases in on-track wagering as well as attendance. The season began on January 2 and was highlighted by the Houston Racing Festival on January 23. For the 40-day meet, total on-track handle increased 4.92% to an average of $84,455 per day. Daily on-track handle was up 9.8% compared to the 2025 meet, where 42 cards were contested. Attendance was up 4.5% year over year and highlighted by the tracks promotional activities. The handle increase was largely attributed to new initiatives implemented for the season. Among those were the creation of Bet Central, a full service customer station on the track's 2nd floor where 2-3 betting instructors were present to answer questions regarding handicapping and wagering. Additionally, all elements of SHRP's operation, outside of wagering, were made cashless in 2026. This led to increases in spending per capita for all attendees as well. "We place an extraordinary emphasis on our customer experience at Sam Houston Race Park," Vice President and General Manager Bryan Pettigrew said. "Bet Central helped our fans become more knowledgeable and engaged, and the cashless policy enabled them to maintain a budget dedicated to wagering." On the racetrack, Stewart Elliott was atop the jockey standings for the 6th consecutive season with 49 wins and over $1.3 million in purse earnings. Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen won his 13th consecutive title as leading trainer, amassing 52 victories and over $1.5 million in purses. Asmussen was also the meet's leading owner with 14 wins. "Texas racing is a vital part of our operation," Asmussen said. "I'm thrilled with our success once again at Sam Houston Race Park." In addition to the leading owner and trainer titles, Asmussen collected his fifth consecutive victory in the Houston Ladies Classic when Perfect Shot scored at 11-1. Asmussen also won the David E. Hooper on Texas Preview Day with Raise the Bar. Racing resumes at Sam Houston on Thursday, April 16 for opening night of the Quarter Horse season. Racing will be conducted on Thursday-Saturdays with a 6:30 first post time. There will be no live racing on Saturday, April 18 and special post times will be used on all Triple Crown days. Please refer to www.shrp.com for more information.