The Grade 2, $649,710 Sam Houston Futurity anchors a card of six Quarter Horse stakes Saturday night at Sam Houston Race Park. The card includes a pair of races honoring the late trainers John Buchanan and Leon Bard. 

First post is 6:50 p.m. Central. 

Bye Corona Bye will put a perfect 3-for-3 record on the line when he attempts to win his second major race in the Sam Houston Futurity. Earlier this year, he captured the Grade 1 West Texas Futurity at Sunland Park. Trained by Juan Diaz Jr.. Bye Cornona Bye will break from post 5 under jockey Victor Urieta Jr. 

“He’s not a big horse, but when he breaks well - which he did again in his Sam Houston Futurity trial - he’s hard to beat,” Diaz told Sam Houston publicist Martha Claussen. 

Jmg Apollitical Capo was the fastest overall qualifier for the Sam Houston Futurity after 20 trials were run May 13-14, according to a press release from Sam Houston. The horse covered 330 yards in 17.00 seconds in the final trial May 14. Luis Vivanco was aboard for trainer Raul Rodriguez Jr. and the pair will team again in the finale.

Jmg Apollitcal Capo will start from post 6. 

“He continues to mature, and we are impressed on how he has improved every time he runs,” Rodriguez told Claussen. “It’s a very competitive race, but he came out of his trial in good shape and seems comfortable here at Sam Houston.”

 Vivanco won the 2014 Sam Houston Futurity aboard Kiss My Hocks. 

 The fastest qualifier May 13 was Jlc Payaso Ed, in 17.05 seconds. Jockey Luis Ruiz was aboard for trainer Joel Cantu. Jlc Payaso Ed will break from post 9.

“I really like the draw as he did well on the outside in his trial,” Cantu told Claussen. “We were lucky to have run early in the card as the wind picked up and no horses qualified after the third race that night. He has been doing very well  and worked twice.”

The first-place check for the Sam Houston Futurity is $259,884.  

Earlier on the card, Famous Chief goes in the Grade 2, $100,000 Sam Houston Classic at 440 yards. Last year, he won the Dash For Cash Derby at Lone Star Park. 

The $50,000 John Buchanan Memorial Stakes goes as the fourth race and the $50,000 Leon Bard Memorial Stakes is the fifth race. They are the first two stakes on the card. They will be followed by the $50,000 Texas Twister - at a flash distance of 110 yards.