English: Cheetahs at Houston Zoo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

HOUSTON (AP) – Two cheetahs from the Houston Zoo usually confined to cages have been allowed to run through part of a horse track when the regular racers weren’t around.

The 5-year-old male siblings name Kito and Kiburi were allowed to roam this month at a grassy fenced part of Sam Houston Race Park in Houston.

The Houston Chronicle reported Sunday that the zoo officials, starting in August, took the big cats to the park twice on leashes. Curator Beth Schaefer says the cheetahs were calm and with their regular trainers.

The cheetahs in early November were allowed off their leashes at the race park, with no problems. The second off-leash excursion was Dec. 11 but will be the last for a while.

Horses return to Sam Houston Race Park next week.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.