Community Leader (pictured), a homebred son of the Artax stallion Diabolical racing for J. Kirk and Judy Robison of El Paso, Texas, will seek his sixth lifetime stakes win in Friday’s 1 1/16-mile, $250,000 New Mexico Breeders’ Derby (R) for state-bred 3-year-old Thoroughbreds at Sunland Park.
Community Leader has won eight of nine races and has earned $407,107, and he will be stretching out in distance off of his clear 8 1/4-length victory in the February 18, 1-mile Red Hedeman Mile Stakes (R) at Sunland Park. The chestnut gelding drew the rail post and will be ridden by Felipe Valdez for trainer Todd Fincher.
Todd Fincher will also send out Our Valentino, a homebred Attila’s Storm gelding racing for Leslie Amestoy, Pierre J. Amestoy Jr., and Roger K. Beasley. Our Valentino has won his last two starts, and he is coming off of a nose victory in a 6-furlong non-winners-of-two allowance race for New Mexico-bred sophomores on February 22.
Our Valentino is a full brother to 2019 New Mexico Classics Juvenile Championship (R) winner Attilianno. The gelding drew post 5 and will be ridden by Christian Ramos.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
Community Leader (Felipe Valdez), 7-5
Shame On Whiskey (Daniel Vergara), 5-1
Holy Bullet (Alejandro Medellin), 15-1
Marking Canyon (Jorge Carreno), 5-2
Our Valentino (Christian Ramos), 7-2
Horns N Halos (Alfredo Juarez Jr.), 15-1
Sinai (Miguel Fuentes Jr.), 20-1