Twelve New Mexico-bred Quarter Horses, including two also-eligible entries, have been entered in Saturday’s 400-yard, $100,000 Jess Burner Memorial Handicap (RG1) at Sunland Park.
Rime Chimes, the upset winner of the October 27, 440-yard Namehimastreaker New Mexico Cup Championship (RG1) at Zia Park, will make his 5-year-old season debut in the Jess Burner. The gray Sign To Be A Runaway stallion earned $109,250 from just two official starts last year.
Rime Chimes drew post 5 and will be ridden by Paul Nieto for owner Carlos F. Paez and trainer Alvaro Hinojos.
Other contenders include Balderrama Racing LLC’s Magnifico Dragon, a 6-year-old Zulu Dragon gelding trained by Cynthia Gonzalez and the 3-1 morning-line favorite. Magnifico Dragon is coming off of a Zia Park fall campaign during which he ran second, 1 1/4 lengths behind Rime Chimes, in the Namehimastreaker New Mexico Cup Championship.
Magnifico Dragon has won nine of 31 starts and has earned $470,052. The gelding drew post 9 and will be ridden by Jaime Leos.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey and weight assignments and morning-line odds:
Faster Version (Hector Aldrete, 128), 15-1
CD Mamas Boy (Raul Herrera, 128), 12-1
Major Bites (Jose A. Alvarez, 128), 6-1
Frost Dalena (Tanner Thedford, 128), 15-1
Rime Chimes (Paul Nieto, 128), 5-1
Freedom Flash (Alonso Rivera, 128), 8-1
CD Flash And Fame (Paul O. Garcia, 128), 15-1
Magnifico Dragon (Jaime Leos, 129), 3-1
Jess A Satin Flash (Alan Hernandez, 128), 10-1
Marcus Medallion (Adrian Ramos, 129), 4-1
AE-Daddys Wine (Mauro Salcedo, 128), 20-1
AE-Siximoons (Sergio Becerra Jr., 128), 15-1