Speed Merchant prevails in $80,000 Corralito Steak House Stakes
Speed Merchant called on his class in deep stretch to win Monday’s 25th running of the $80,000 Corralito Steak House Stakes by a half-length under jockey Luis Valenzuela.
The winner, trained by Todd Fincher for owner Dale F. Taylor Racing, LLC., stalked early leader Fort Sumner down the backstretch before snaring the lead from that one midway around the far turn. The 3-year-old son of Marking inched clear inside the final furlong and reached the finish line ahead of a fast-closing Cash Waterfall and jockey Oscar Andrade, Jr., stopping the timer in 1 minute, 10.44 seconds for six furlongs.
Winning for the fifth time from six career starts, Speed Merchant now has won three stakes races. Most recently, he was victorious in the Hobbs Fall Classic last month at Zia Park. Prior to that, he won the New Mexico State Fair Thoroughbred Futurity last October at Albuquerque Downs.
Out of the Broken Vow mare Keep Your Promise, Speed Merchant is the latest stakes winner from this stallion. Imprimis earned nearly $884,000 while winning nine times from 21 starts. Strong Promise, a winner of more than $362,000 on the racetrack, is also a multiple stakes winner.
Bred in New Mexico by Brad King & Chris Coleman, Speed Merchant has now amassed earnings of more than $315,000.
Fincher saddled the top three finishers in the Corralito Steak House Stakes with runner-up Cash Waterfall and third place finisher Buy Local. Fincher is currently one of this season’s leading trainers and has already saddled three stakes winners at the meet, including Coffee Connection in the Borderplex Stakes as well as Aye Candy in the Bold Ego Stakes.
Sent off as the prohibitive 1-to-9 favorite, Speed Merchant returned $2.20 to win. The $2 exacta with Cash Waterfall paid $7.80. Buy Local and Reads Artful Run rounded out the top four finishers.