Seven state-bred Thoroughbred stakes will be contested as New Mexico Classics week concludes Monday at Zia Park in Hobbs.
Following is a preview of all seven stakes, listed in the order they will be run:
NEW MEXICO CLASSICS DISTAFF SPRINT STAKES-R
Purse, $150,000 — 6 furlongs
Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and older
Derrick W. Jenkins’ Corrina Corrina is the heavy favorite for Monday’s 6-furlong, $150,000 New Mexico Classics Distaff Sprint Stakes-R.
A homebred 5-year-old daughter of Mr. Trieste trained by Gary Cross, Corrina Corrina will be shortening in distance off of her six-length victory in the September 22, 6 1/2-furlong Carlos Salazar Stakes-R at Albuquerque Downs, a win that put the dark bay or brown mare over the $1-million mark in career earnings. Corrina Corrina has won four stakes this year, including the open 1 1/8-mile, $75,000 San Juan County Commissioners Stakes at SunRay Park in May.
Corrina Corrina drew post 6 and will be ridden by Tracy Hebert.
NEW MEXICO CLASSICS DERBY-R
Purse, $150,000 — 6 furlongs
3-year-olds
Six state-bred sophomores, led by morning-line favorite Higher Ed, are entered in Monday’s 6-furlong, $150,000 New Mexico Classics Derby-R.
A homebred son of the Tiznow stallion Sporting Chance racing for J. Kirk and Judy Robison of El Paso, Texas, Higher Ed will be making his first start since May 11, when he scored a 4 1/2-length victory in the 6 1/2-furlong, $75,000 Kendrick Stakes-R at SunRay Park. Todd Fincher trains the dark bay or brown gelding.
Higher Ed drew post 2 and will be ridden by Christian Ramos.
NEW MEXICO CLASSICS SPRINT STAKES-R
Purse, $150,000 — 6 furlongs
3-year-olds and older
V Bar V Racing LLC’s Let Him Be heads a group of nine state-breds entered in Monday’s 6-furlong, $150,000 New Mexico Classics Sprint-R.
Let Him Be is coming off of a clear 6 1/4-length victory in a 6-furlong, $77,000 allowance race for New Mexico-breds at Zia Park on November 4. The 4-year-old Sway Away gelding has earned $205,000 from six races this year, and his five wins include a 1 1/2-length victory in the April 7, $100,000 New Mexico State University Handicap-R at Sunland Park.
Let Him Be drew post 6 and will be ridden by Miguel Fuentes Jr. for trainer Joel Marr.
NEW MEXICO CLASSICS JUVENILE STAKES-R
Purse, $150,000 — 6 furlongs
2-year-olds
Stakes winners Holy Hank and Holdwhatyougot are two of the 10 state-bred 2-year-olds entered in Monday’s 6-furlong, $150,000 New Mexico Classics Juvenile Stakes-R.
A homebred son of the Midnight Lute stallion Holy Lute trained by Simon Buechler for owners Robert M. Driggers, Del Rae Driggers and Ben Lee Ivey, Holy Hank has earned $197,521 from four races, and his three wins include a 2 3/4-length victory in the 6-furlong, $332,000 New Mexico State Fair Thoroughbred Futurity-R at Albuquerque Downs on October 13.
Holy Hank drew post 9 and will be ridden by Tracy Hebert.
Holdwhatyougot races for Clay Harris from the barn of trainer Greg Green. A $36,000 yearling purchase at last year’s New Mexico-Bred Sale at Ruidoso Downs, the gelded son of Attila’s Storm broke his maiden with a wire-to-wire, one-length win in the 5-furlong, $98,000 Rio Grande Senor Futurity-R at Albuquerque Downs on August 18.
Holdwhatyougot drew post 10 and will be ridden by Aldo Arboleda.
NEW MEXICO CLASSICS OAKS-R
Purse, $150,000 — 6 furlongs
3-year-old fillies
Dustin Brooks’ Payingoffmymarker is the morning-line favorite for Monday’s 6-furlong, $150,000 New Mexico Classics Oaks-R for state-bred sophomore fillies.
A homebred daughter of the Bernardini stallion Marking trained by Todd Fincher, Payingoffmymarker won two stakes during the Sunland Park winter meet, including the 1-mile, $100,000 Enchantress Stakes-R on February 18.
Payingoffmymarker drew post 9 and will be ridden by Tracy Hebert.
NEW MEXICO CLASSICS LASSIE STAKES-R
Purse, $150,000 — 6 furlongs
2-year-old fillies
A $100,000 yearling buy at last year’s New Mexico-Bred Sale at Ruidoso Downs, Jana Trotter’s Marked Kiss drew the rail post for Monday’s 6-furlong, $150,000 New Mexico Classics Lassie Stakes-R for juvenile fillies.
Marked Kiss will be making her first start since August 18, when the filly scored a 3 3/4-length victory in the 5-furlong, $129,000 Rio Grande Senorita Futurity-R at Albuquerque Downs. Chris Zamora trains the bay daughter of Marking.
Alejandro Medellin will ride Marked Kiss.
ROCKY GULCH NEW MEXICO CLASSICS STAKES-R
Purse, $200,000 — 1 1/16 miles
3-year-olds and older
Bodie Got Gold, a 5-year-old gray or roan son of Holy Lute racing for Richard Navarette, heads the field entered in Monday’s 1 1/16-mile, $200,000 Rocky Gulch New Mexico Classics Stakes-R.
Bodie Got Gold prepped for this race with a 1 1/2-length in as the odds-on favorite in a $77,000 open-condition allowance race for New Mexico-breds at Zia Park on November 4. A $15,000 claim by Navarette at Sunland Park on January 26, the gelding has since won three of his nine starts, including the September 14, 5 1/2-furlong Casey Darnell Stakes-R at Albuquerque Downs.
Bodie Got Gold drew post 7 and will be ridden by Alejandro Medellin for trainer Andres Gonzales.
A win in this race would jump Bill Carson’s Thunder Dome over the $1-million mark in career earnings. Trained by Dallas Barton, the homebred 10-year-old Dome gelding has banked $965,157 from 66 races, and his eight career stakes victories include the 2018, ‘20 and ‘22 Rocky Gulch New Mexico Classics Championship-R.
Thunder Dome drew post 9 and will be ridden by Luis Fuentes.