A dozen New Mexico-bred Thoroughbreds, headed by morning-line favorite Let Him Be (pictured), are entered in Friday’s 6 1/2-furlong, $100,000 Jamison Memorial Handicap (R) at Sunland Park.
Let Him Be is a 4-year-old son of the Afleet Alex stallion Sway Away trained by Joel Marr for owner V Bar V Racing LLC. The bay gelding is coming off of a two-length victory in a 6-furlong, $52,000 open-condition allowance race for New Mexico-breds on January 18, and he won two stakes during his sophomore campaign, including the 6-furlong, $150,000 New Mexico Classics Derby Championship (R) at Zia Park.
Let Him Be drew post 11 and will be ridden by Miguel Fuentes Jr.
Other contenders include Strawberry Whisky, a 7-year-old son of the Sunday Silence stallion Fusaichi Zenon (JPN) owned and trained by Celio Trujillo Jr. The dark bay or brown gelding ended his 2023 campaign with a wire-to-wire, 1 3/4-length win in the November 27, 6-furlong New Mexico Classics Sprint Championship (R) at Zia Park.
Strawberry Whisky drew post 7 and will be ridden by Aldo Arboleda.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey and weight assignments and morning-line odds:
Diabolical Storm (Daniel Vergara, 120), 5-1
Delbert Too (Jose Miguel Vazquez, 122), 15-1
Sambas Mark (Irwin Rosendo, 123), 10-1
Massive Roar (Alfredo Juarez Jr., 122), 12-1
Ancient Land (Ken Tohill, 124), 10-1
Bodie Got Gold (Alejandro Medellin, 117), 15-1
Strawberry Whisky (Aldo Arboleda, 124), 9-2
Mcmercelus (Kelsi Purcell, 119), 15-1
No Pasa Nada (Erick Medellin, 122), 20-1
Henry On The Run (Christian Ramos, 118), 12-1
Let Him Be (Miguel Fuentes Jr.), 125, 5-2
One Mark (Tracy Hebert, 121), 6-1