Mucho Zmoke narrowly prevails in Lonnie and Candy Elam Memorial Stakes
SUNLAND PARK — Under a perfectly-timed ride by Francisco Amparan, Mucho Zmoke scored a breathtaking win in the 20th running of $60,000 Lonnie and Candy Elam Memorial Stakes.
Trained by Wes Giles for owners and breeders Curtis Crenwelge, Jim Laird and Jose R. Espinosa, Mucho Zmoke poured on the speed from his outside post in the 870-yard affair, quickly taking the lead just a few strides out of the gate.
Mucho Zmoke was hounded for much of the race to the top of the lane to his inside by Stinky Feet and jockey Omar Iturralde. Mucho Zmoke cleared that challenge before withstanding the late rally from Little Moon Dawg and jockey Christian Ramos.
The New Mexico-bred son of Kj Mucho Macho Man prevailed by a neck, stopping the clock in a time of 45.72 seconds.
Mucho Zmoke is unbeaten in four starts at the 870-yard distance, earning his first career stakes win. He has won four times from 13 starts with earnings of more than $147,000.
Bred in New Mexico, Mucho Zmoke is out of Zoobie Cartel by Corona Cartel. The damsire earned more than $550,000 on the racetrack, scoring stakes wins in the 1996 Los Alamitos Million Futurity (G1) in 1996 and the Kindergarten Futurity (G2).
Among the leading progeny of Corona Cartel are Flying Fig, Eye For Corona and Blues Girl Two, who earned more than $2 million with wins in the 2007 Vessels Memorial Handicap and Champion of Champions.
The winner returned $7 to his winning backers as the 5-to-2 second choice. The $2 exacta with Little Moon Dawg paid back $37.40. Stinky Feet settled for third with Jess A Outlaw rounding out the top four finishers. El Vital, sent off as the post time favorite, finished last in the eight-horse field.