January 26, 2026

Vance Hanson bids bon voyage to Ed DeRosa, who heads to Las Vegas this week for the National Handicapping Championship -- not to play but to cheer on TwinSpires.com and Brisnet.com players.

A new NHC winner will have been crowned by the time Sam Houston plays host to its biggest night of racing on Saturday, a 10-race card with a quartet of stakes featuring a pair of Grade 3 events, the John B. Connally Turf Cup Stakes for older turfers and the Houston Ladies Classic Stakes for older females.

The Connally is notable for increasing its distance from 1 1/8 miles to 1 1/2 miles, and the Ladies Classic is graded for the first time since its 2010 inauguration as a way to lure Rachel Alexandra and/or Zenyatta.