Fastest qualifier Flashin Fire (pictured), a sorrel son of champion First Moonflash racing for Josefina Guzman, is the 8-5 morning-line favorite for Saturday’s 400-yard, $262,104 Shue Fly Stakes (RG2) for New Mexico-bred 3-year-olds at Sunland Park.
Flashin Fire made his season debut with a wire-to-wire, 1 1/4-length victory in the last of six Shue Fly trials on January 7. The gelding sports a five-race win streak that includes victories in the August 1, $320,000 Zia Futurity (RG1) at Ruidoso Downs, and the October 31, $301,000 New Mexico Cup Futurity (RG2) at Zia Park.
A $20,000 claim at Remington Park last April, Flashin Fire has won five of seven races and has banked $297,350. The gelding drew post 5 and will be ridden by Juan Pulido for trainer Santos Carrizales Jr.
Other contenders include River Flash, a stakes-winning son of Chicks Regard trained by Wes Giles for owners Robert M. Driggers and Ben Lee Ivey. River Flash has earned $36,500 from four outs, and the gelding ended his juvenile campaign with a three-quarter length win in the September 19, $50,000 New Mexico State Fair Juvenile Stakes (R) at Albuquerque Downs.
River Flash drew the rail post and will be ridden by Alan Hernandez.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
River Flash (Alan Hernandez), 7-1
Wente (Sergio Becerra Jr.), 3-1
Antinori (Luis A. Flores-Garcia), 6-1
The Calling (Mario Delgado), 5-1
Flashin Fire (Juan Pulido), 8-5
Holland Rock (Noe Garcia Jr.), 8-1
Z Ya (Adrian Ramos), 4-1
Renika (Jose A. Alvarez), 10-1
JC New Dawn (Daniel Torres), 8-1
Wish Bigg (Ricky Ramirez), 12-1
AE-Run Time (Jose Enrique Ortiz), 20-1