San Antonio's Retama Park track will stage camel and ostrich races

The exotic beasts will compete between horse races on the weekend of June 28-29.

click to enlarge Camels can hit speeds of up to 40 miles per hour. - Shutterstock / Aleksandra Tokarz
Shutterstock / Aleksandra Tokarz
Camels can hit speeds of up to 40 miles per hour.
Camels and ostriches will go for gold at Selma's Retama Park Race Track next weekend.

These camelid contenders and plumed players will take to the track between horse races on both June 28 and 29, according to details shared by Retama officials. Ostrich races will occur after the third horse race and camels after the sixth.

With speeds up to 43 miles per hour, flightless ostriches are the fastest bird on land. Camels are no slouches either since they're known for hitting speeds of up to 40 mph.

Those who like to keep their camel contests classy can make reservations to watch the races from terrace dining, the clubhouse, or box seating. Though it might be tempting to put money on your feathered fave, Retama Park officials said betting on the exotic entrants is strictly forbidden.

And yes, human jockeys will be riding these ostrich and camel racers, though we wouldn't recommend riding an ostrich recreationally. Leave it to the professionals.

Tickets are $5 per person and can be purchased on the Retama Park Race Track website. Children under 5 get in for free. Gates open at 5 p.m. with the first horse race at 6:15 p.m., according to the Facebook event.

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