Fanncee, a daughter of Big Daddy Cartel and 2015 champion sophomore filly Astica, will make her 4-year-old season debut in Saturday’s 350-yard, $30,000 Rita Danley Distaff Stakes (R) for New Mexico-bred fillies and mares at Ruidoso Downs.

Trained by Wes Giles for Mac and Janis Murray’s MJ Farms at Veguita, New Mexico, Fanncee has won two of nine races and has earned $143,428, and she ended her sophomore campaign with a second-place finish, a nose behind winner Bigg Dee, in the 400-yard, $203,000 Zia Derby RG2 for state-bred 3-year-olds at Ruidoso Downs on July 31. The homebred mare’s record also includes second-place finishes in the 2020 Mountain Top Futurity (RG2), and last year’s inaugural $91,000 Mountain Top Derby (R), both at Ruidoso Downs.

Fanncee drew post 2 and will be ridden by Adrian Ramos.

Another mare making her 4-year-old season debut, William R. Robertson’s Icy Morning Breeze (pictured), has won four of seven outs at Ruidoso Downs, including last year’s Mountain Top Derby (R). A homebred Winners Version mare trained by Jackie Riddle, Icy Morning Breeze ended her 3-year-old season with a clear 1 1/4-length victory in the November 1, $30,000 New Mexico Cup Sophomore Stakes (R).

Icy Morning Breeze drew post 4 and will be ridden by Francisco Calderon.

The Rita Danley Distaff honors the memory of the late Rita Danley, a longtime owner and breeder of racehorses in New Mexico prior to her passing on August 16, 2014. The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
Dream Lucky Charm (Alfredo Sigala), 10-1
Fanncee (Adrian Ramos), 5-2
Jess To Reel (Hector Aldrete), 12-1
Icy Morning Breeze (Francisco Calderon), 4-1
Famous Julia (Sergio Becerra Jr.), 8-1
Sweet Zulu (Jorge Torres), 7-2
Outta Debt (Esgar Ramirez), 5-1
Kellys First Moon (Sergio Dominguez), 15-1
Crown N Royal Gal (Noe Garcia Jr.), 15-1
Hearts Mystic Rime (Brian Barraza), 30-1