Three-year-old fillies headline $75,000 Sierra Starlet Stakes
ALBUQUERQUE — Bob Matney looks to strengthen his position among New Mexico’s leading thoroughbred owners when he sends Bye Bye Vicki to the starting gate for Sunday’s $75,000 Sierra Starlet Stakes at Albuquerque Downs.
Hailing from Lubbock, Texas, Matney is currently the leading owner with three wins at the current Ruidoso at Albuquerque Downs season. He is coming off back-to-back titles as leading thoroughbred owner at the most recent seasons at Sunland Park and SuRay Park and Casino.
Bye Bye Vicki, a two-time winner from four starts trained by Todd Fincher, will be looking for her first stakes win she breaks from the rail in the 6-horse field for the Sierra Starlet Stakes under Aldo Arboleda.
Bred in New Mexico by B-4 Farms LLC, Bye Bye Vicki won her most recent start, a 5 1/2 furlong allowance sprint over this course on June 7. The 3-year-old daughter of Sporting Chance was a well-beaten seventh in her lone stakes race, the C.O. Kendrick Stakes at SunRay Park last month.
Matney has started more than 730 horses since becoming an owner in 2019. His runners have won nearly 130 races including stakes winner Barossa, with total earnings approaching $2.3 million.
Fincher will also send out Equity Search in the Sierra Starlet Stakes, looking for her third career win. Owned by J. Kirk and Judy Robison, the daughter of Sporting Chance has finished no worse than second in four career starts and will break from post five under Oscar Andrade, Jr.
The lone proven stakes winner in the field for the Sierra Starlet Stakes is Masino Racing Stable’s Holy Miss (pictured above), who captured the New Mexico Breeders Oaks at Sunland Park last March.
Trained by Bart Hone, the daughter of Holy Lute has earned more than $118,000. Her win in the NM Breeders’ Oaks is her only career win from six starts.
Holy Miss will break from post four under Alberto Amparan in the Sierra Starlet Stakes, the 10th race of an 11-race card that has a scheduled post time of 5:15 p.m.