Fincher-trained six pack headline $100,000 Hobbs Fall Classic
HOBBS – Two-time winner Bully Boy will head into the starting gate as the 6-to-5 morning line favorite for Tuesday’s $100,000 Hobbs Fall Classic at Zia Park, looking for the second stakes win of his career for trainer Todd Fincher and owners Robert M. & Del Rae Driggers and Ben Lee Ivey.
The 2-year-old son of Sporting Chance has finished no worse than second in four career starts and is coming off a dominating 2 1/2 length score last time out in the $150,000 New Mexico Classic Juvenile Stakes on Nov. 24.
Bred in New Mexico by Bar Y Equine, LLC, Bully Boy was a narrow second in the New Mexico State Fair Thoroughbred Futurity at Albuquerque Downs last summer before handily beating his stablemate in the NM Classic Juvenile. Bully Boy has two wins from four starts and has earned more than $167,000.
Bully Boy will break from the rail under jockey Floyd Wethey, Jr. in the Hobbs Fall Classic, which will be run as the second race on Tuesday’s closing day program with a scheduled post time of 12:12 p.m.
Speed Merchant, another Fincher-trained runner in the 8-horse field, is drawn on the far outside in the Hobbs Fall Classic, which will be run at a distance of 6 1/2 furlongs. The son of Marking, owned by Dale F. Taylor Racing, LLC. and bred in New Mexico by Brad King & Chris Coleman, had his three-race unbeaten streak snapped by Bully Boy in the NM Classic Juvenile. He was a narrow winner over Bully Boy in the NM State Fair Thoroughbred Futurity at Albuquerque Downs.
With three wins from four career starts, Speed Merchant has earned more than $207,000.
Listed as the second choice on the morning line at odds of 5-to-2, Speed Merchant is slated to be ridden by Luis Valenzuela.
Fincher will also be represented in the Hobbs Fall Classic by Cash Waterfall and Buy Local, respectively the third and fourth choices on the morning line. Fincher comes into the final days of the Zia Park season with a narrow edge over Dick Cappellucci in the thoroughbred trainer standings and will also send out longshots Country Club Sport and Risk Capital in the race.
The field, with morning line odds and riders, for the $100,000 Hobbs Fall Classic:
1 Bully Boy (6-5) Floyd Wethey Jr.
2 Buy Local (8-1) Elvin Gonzalez
3 Cowboy Campfire (12-1) Francisco Amparan
4 Country Club Sport (20-1) Ken Tohill
5 Cash Waterfall (5-1) Oscar Andrade, Jr.
6 Fort Sumner (10-1) Luis Rodriguez
7 Risk Capital (20-1) Olaf Hernandez
8 Speed Merchant (5-2) Luis Valenzuela