Mojica fends off challengers to win New Mexico Classic Derby
HOBBS – Don S. Apodaca’s Mojica battled on the lead from start to finish in Monday’s $150,000 New Mexico Classic Derby at Zia Park, drawing off to an impressive win under jockey Jose Vazquez.
Trained by Filiberto Quiroz, the 3-year-old son of Marking had a short lead down the backstretch through a quick opening quarter mile, then held off a rally from post time favorite Holy Hank at the head of the lane before drawing off to win by 3 1/4 lengths, racing 6 1/2 furlongs on a fast track in a time of 1 minute, 16.28 seconds.
Bred in New Mexico by Don Apocado, Mojica earned his fourth win from seven career starts. His win in the NM Classic Derby pushes his career earnings to more than $253,000. The three-time stakes winner also captured the Red Hedeman Mile at Sunland Park earlier this year, and also scored a win in the Kendrick Stakes at SunRay Park and Casino.
Mojica is out of the Attila’s Storm mare I Ten, who won three races from 12 starts in her career. The damsire, a multiple stakes winner with more than $534,000 in earnings on the track, has produced a number of prominent stakes winners in the state of New Mexico, including Bye Bye Matty P, Bella Dona and Diabolical Storm.
Marking, currently standing at A&A Ranch, has sired several recent stakes winners, including Bye Bye Holley, Antonios Mark and Country Club Crush, all three of which captured stakes races on Monday at Zia Park.
Sent off as the third choice on the toteboard at odds of 3.70-to-1, Mojica returned $9.40 to his winning backers. Holy Hank, ridden by Luis Valenzuela, finished second, prompting a $35.80 payoff on a $2 exacta wager. Attila’s Last Call finished third with post time favorite Short Round Bound rounding out the top four finishers.