Pair of trainers hold strong hands in Kendrick Stakes at SunRay Park

FARMINGTON — Trainers Dick Cappellucci and Todd Fincher will send out as many as three horses each in Sunday’s $70,000 C.O. Kendrick Stakes, a 6 1/2 furlong event for statebred 3-year-olds on the closiing day program at SunRay Park and Casino.

Fincher will likely have the post time favorite in the Kendrick Stakes in the form of Equity Search, a two-time winner from three career starts including a wire-to-wire score over this course last month.

Owned by J. Kirk and Judy Robison, Equity Search is a homebred product of Downstream Racing who won her debut at Sunland on March 9. The daughter of Sporting Chance finished a close second in an allowance race in her second career start before her most recent win. She has earned more than $44,000 in and will break from post seven in the 8-horse field with Oscar Andrade, Jr. in the irons.

Fincher will also be represented in the Kendrick Stakes by Ghosted Again, looking to rebound off a second place finish in his most recent start, the New Mexico Breeders Derby at Sunland Park last March. 

The son of Runaway Ghost broke his maiden two starts back and was beaten less than two lengths behind Buy Local in the NM Breeders Derby last time out. Owned by the Peacock Family Racing Stable LLC and bred by Joseph Peacock, Ghosted Again has one win from seven lifetime starts with earnings of more than $85,000. 

Ghosted Again will be ridden by Aldo Arboleda and will break from the outside post in the Kendrick, which will be run as the eighth race of a 10-race card with a post time of 4:10 p.m.

Lightly raced Bye Bye Vicki rounds out the three starters in the race trained by Fincher. The daughter of Sporting Chance broke her maiden in her second career start April 5 at Sunland Park. Owned by Bob Matney and bred by the B-4 Farms LLC, Bye Bye Vicki will break from post six under Cerapio Figueroa.

Cappellucci will send out three starters in the Kendrick as well, including two-time winner Vanishing Money. 

Owned by Judge Lanier Racing and bred in New Mexico by McKenna Thoroughbreds, Vanishing Money beat allowance company last March at Sunland Park after finishing off the board in the Red Hedeman Mile. The son of Conquest Mo Money has earned nearly $40,000 and will be ridden by Alejandro Medellin when the pair break from post four in the Kendrick Stakes.

Glen Robertson and Bobby McQueen’s American Century will break from the rail in the Kendrick Stakes with Enrique Gomez in the saddle. 

American Century, a son of American Anthem bred in New Mexico by Robertson, won impressively in his maiden race at Sunland Park before finishing fourth in the New Mexico Breeders Derby. 

Cappellucci will also send out Driving Money, making only his second career start after a runaway maiden score over this course in his debut April 25. The son of Conquest Mo Money, also owned by Judge Lanier Racing and bred by McKenna Thoroughbreds, will break from post three with Luis Valenzuela in the irons.

Trainer Bart Hone sends out Holy Miss (pictured above), the only previous stakes winner in the field.

The daughter of Holy Lute won the New Mexico Breeders Oaks at Sunland Park in her last start, which was also when she broke her maiden. Holy Miss, owned by Masino Racing Stables and bred by Joe Masino, has earned more than $116,000 and will break from post two in the Kendrick with Luis Rodriguez slated to ride.

The field, in post position order with riders for the $70,000 C.O. Kendrick Stakes:

1 American Century (Enrique Gomez)

2 Holy Miss (Luis Rodriguez)

3 Driving Money (Luis Valenzuela)

4 Vanishing Money (Alejandro Medellin)

5 Awesome Glory (Jose Vazquez)

6 Bye Bye Vicki (Cerapio Figueroa)
7 Equity Search (Oscar Andrade, Jr.)

8 Ghosted Again (Aldo Arboleda)