Diabolical Storm headlines $75,000 Casey Darnell Stakes
ALBUQUERQUE – A field of eight New Mexico-bred older thoroughbreds will line up in the starting gate Saturday under the lights at Albuquerque Downs for the $75,000 Casey Darnell Stakes, part of a strong 10-race program featuring a pair of stakes races.
The Casey Darnell, which will be run at a distance of 521 furlongs, will go as the fifth race on the card at approximately 7:45 p.m. The ninth race, the $350,000 Downs at Albuquerque Fall Quarter Horse Stakes, features a field of 10 short-liners set to race 440 yards.
Diabolical Storm, trained by Todd Fincher for owners Scott Bryant, Derrol Hubbard and Dustin Brooks, has been installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite for the Darnell. The 6-year-old son of Attila’s Storm will be ridden by Luis Valenzuela and will break from post position four.
A five-time winner and earner of more than $465,000 in his 29 trips to the post, Diabolical Storm is coming off a second-place finish in his most recent start at Albuquerque Downs, his first trip back to the races in nearly seven months.
Diabolical Storm is a two-time stakes winner, with victories in the 2022 New Mexico Breeders’ Derby at Sunland Park and the Duke City Sprint Stakes over this course later that year.
The Fincher family will be well represented in the Darnell Stakes. Todd’s father Leroy Fincher will send Marking Canyon to the starting gate as the 3-1 second choice on the morning line.
Owned by Leroy and Maureen Fincher, Marking Canyon has earned more than $326,000 and has won five times from 17 starts. The son of Marking will look to snap a five-race losing streak when he loads into the five post under jockey Aldo Arboleda.
Trainer Dominic Duree will saddle Antonios Mark in the Darnell, coming off a win over allowance company here last time out. The 5-year-old son of Marking, owned by Andy Banegas, has six wins from 27 starts and earnings topping $325,000.
Alfredo Juarez, Jr. will ride Antonios Mark and will break from the outside post as the 9-2 fourth choice on the morning line.
Bodie Got Gold (pictured above), last year’s winner of the Darnell Stakes, is back to defend his title for owner Richard Navarette and trainer Andres Gonzalez. The 6-year-old son of Holy Lute has lost seven straight but has still amassed earnings of more than $354,000 while winning six times from 36 starts.
Alejandro Medellin will be back in the irons aboard Bodie Got Gold, who was listed at 12-1 on the morning line breaking from post two
The field, with jockeys and morning line odds for the Casey Darnell Stakes
1- ATTILIANNO 10-1 Fausto Da Silva
2- BODIE GOT GOLD 12-1 Alejandro Medellin
3- PALS WILD LIBERTY 20 Luis Rodriguez
4- DIABOLICAL STORM 5/2 Luis Valenzuela
5- MARKING CANYON 3-1 Aldo Arboleda
6- PROBATE 7/2 Francisco Amparan
7- AR YA WEEGEE 8-1 Tracy Hebert
8- ANTONIOS MARK 9/2 Alfredo Juarez, Jr.