Retama Park

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Retama Park Racing Schedule: Varies (see official track website for details) Racing Dates 2008: April 28 - June 18 (Quarter Horse) August 11 - November 4 (Thoroughbred) Post Times: Varies (see official track website for details) Retama Park Location: San Antonio, Texas Retama Park Official Website: www.retamapark.com

Retama Park Facts:

The state of Texas was slow in legalizing (or re-legalizing) pari-mutuel horse betting. However, in 1987 legislation finally passed that allowed pari-mutuel wagering. The next year, the San Antonio Racing Association was formed with some well-known individuals. The hype was short-lived as the San Antonio Racing Association was dissolved the very next year. In that same year, the Retama Park Association was formed and it immediately got to task by starting a land acquiring process. The Retama Park Association purchased an option on the 488-acre Retama Polo Center. The option was contingent on a Class 1 license being awarded to the association and a pari-mutuel tax reduction.

Two short years later, the tax reduction bill was passed along with legislation that allowed inter-track horse wagering and simulcasting. Later that year a Class 1 license was awarded to the Retama Park Association and millions of dollars were raised. The new partners formed Retama Partners, Ltd. In 1993, financing was completed with the receipt of $56.2 million. The following year construction on Retama Park was begun. The process was fairly quick and filled with celebration.

April 7, 1995 marked the opening of Retama Park. April 13th marked the first day of simulcasting at Retama Park. It went very well as 774 horse bettors wagered a total of almost $105,000 over seven different tracks. The next month, Retama Park offered its first Twin Trifecta. In August, luck fan Fred Baker cashed in a winning Twin Trifecta ticket worth a whopping $73,324.50. In September, Retama Park expanded its betting options by allowing Superfectas. As is the case with most horse racing tracks early on (those without casino operations), Retama Park filed for bankruptcy in March of 1996. The troubles were short-lived as the track was able to work it out. Horse racing at Retama Park begins to take off and the amount of money wagered increases annually.

As the years passed, Retama Park began to increase purses and increase the quality of horse racing held at the track. To this day, Retama Park continues to increase annually in hold, purse increases and simulcast increases. Texans love their horse racing and the support at Retama Park proves it.