Bully Boy edges clear late to win New Mexico Classic Juvenile
HOBBS – Trainer Todd Fincher saddled the top five finishers in Monday’s $150,000 New Mexico Classic Juvenile, winning the race with Bully Boy and jockey Luis Fuentes.
The 2-year-old son of Sporting Chance, bred in New Mexico by Bar Y Equine, raced close to the leaders down the backstretch before sweeping to the lead at the head of the lane and inching clear late to prevail by 2 1/2 lengths over stablemate Speed Merchant and jockey Luis Valenzuela.
Bully Boy, a two-time winner from four career starts, was second behind Speed Merchant in the New Mexico State Fair Thoroughbred Futurity last month at Albuquerque Downs. Out of the King Bull mare Shamrock Girl, Bully Boy is owned by Robert M. & Del Rae Driggers and Ben Lee Ivey and has earned more than $167,000.
Sporting Chance, currently standing at A&A Ranch, has also produced stakes winners Higher Ed and Tap Rock.
Sent off as the 6-to-5 second choice in the NM Classic Juvenile, Bully Boy paid back $4.40 to his winning backers. Fincher-trained Speed Merchant completed the $2 exacta, which returned $6.80. Fincher also saddled third place finisher Buy Local, as well as Fort Sumner and Risk Capital, which rounded out the top five finishers.