Eight stakes restricted to state-bred Thoroughbreds will be contested at Zia Park on Monday, part of the second day of New Mexico Classic races at the track.
Following is a preview of all eight stakes, listed in the order they will be run.
NEW MEXICO CLASSICS JUVENILE CHAMPIONSHIP (R)
Purse, $150,000 — 6 furlongs
2-year-old colts and geldings
Stakes winners Community Leader and Milk It (pictured) are two of the six state-bred 2-year-old colts and geldings entered in Monday’s 6-furlong, $150,000 New Mexico Classics Juvenile Championship (R).
A homebred son of the Artax stallion Diabolical racing for J. Kirk and Judy Robison of El Paso, Texas, Community Leader has earned $197,107 from six starts, and he began his career with a five-race win streak that included two stakes victories during the Ruidoso Downs summer meet. The gelding is the first starter produced by Midnight Summer, a winning Midnight Lute mare purchased by the Robisons for $32,000 at the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Community Leader drew post 4 and will be ridden by Felipe Valdez for trainer Todd Fincher.
Milk It is an undefeated son of the Indian Charlie stallion Shame On Charlie racing for R. Dwain Yarbar, MCM Stables, and trainer Greg Green. The homebred bay gelding has banked $152,067 from two outs, and he is coming off of a three-quarter length victory in the 6-furlong, $295,000 New Mexico State Fair Futurity (R) at Albuquerque Downs on October 15.I
Milk It drew post 2 and will be ridden by Francisco Amparan.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
Aaron Who (Christian Ramos), 15-1
Milk It (Francisco Amparan), 8-5
Amigo Loco (Alfredo Juarez Jr.), 6-1
Community Leader (Felipe Valdez), 1-1
Everyrosehasathorn (Aldo Arboleda), 15-1
Hezekiah’s Rule (Ken Tohill), 8-1
NEW MEXICO CLASSICS DISTAFF SPRINT CHAMPIONSHIP (R)
Purse, $150,000 — 6 furlongs
Fillies & mares, 3-year-olds & older
Bella Dona is the 7-5 morning-line favorite for Monday’s 6-furlong, $150,000 New Mexico Classics Distaff Sprint Championship (R) for state-bred fillies and mares.
A 10-time stakes winner, Bella Dona is a homebred 4-year-old Attila’s Storm filly trained by Simon Beuchler for owners Robert M. Driggers, Del Rae Driggers, and Ben Lee Ivey. Bella Dona is winless in three starts this season, but she won all seven of her starts — all against stakes company — and earned $495,000 during her sophomore season.
Bella Dona drew post 2 and will be ridden by Luis A. Fuentes.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
Marquis Lights (Luis Ramon Rodriguez), 8-1
Bella Dona (Luis A. Fuentes), 7-5
Shugs Charlie (Santiago Gonzalez), 15-1
Charlies Hurricane (Irwin Rosendo), 4-1
Caycee’s Mark (Luis A. Valenzuela), 12-1
Delia (Miguel Fuentes Jr.), 8-1
Tight Fittin Jeans (Aldo Arboleda), 5-2
PEPPERS PRIDE NEW MEXICO CLASSICS DISTAFF CHAMPIONSHIP (R)
Purse, $200,000 — 1 mile
Fillies & mares, 3-year-olds & older
Derrick W. Jenkins’ Corrina Corrina heads a field of seven state-bred fillies and mares entered in Monday’s 1-mile, $200,000 Peppers Pride New Mexico Classics Distaff Championship (R).
A homebred 4-year-old Mr. Trieste filly trained by Gary Cross, Corrina Corrina has earned $279,200 from seven races this season, and she has won three stakes, including the 1-mile, $100,000 Peppers Pride Handicap (R) at Sunland Park in March. Corrina Corrina also won two stakes during her 3-year-old campaign.
Corrina Corrina drew post 2 and will be ridden by Tracy Hebert.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
Bye Bye Brandi (Joel Rosario), 6-1
Corrina Corrina (Tracy Hebert), 1-5
Passion Belle (Luis A. Fuentes), 15-1
Our Time To Shine (Kelsi Purcell), 8-1
Catty Dom (Daniel P. Vergara), 50-1
Desert Spirit (Santiago Gonzalez), 20-1
Flaxy Lady (Erick Medellin), 20-1
NEW MEXICO CLASSICS LASSIE CHAMPIONSHIP (R)
Purse, $150,000 — 6 furlongs
2-year-old fillies
Stakes winner Mark It Down is one of eight state-bred 2-year-old fillies entered in Monday’s 6-furlong, $150,000 New Mexico Classics Lassie Championship (R).
A homebred Marking filly trained by Dallas Barton for owners Mike H. Carson and Bill Carson, Mark It Down won two of her three races during the Ruidoso Downs summer meet, including the 5 1/2-furlong, $113,000 Rio Grande Senorita Futurity (R). Mark It Down is one of three winners from four starters produced by Lady Genius, a multiple stakes-winning homebred daughter of Quinton’s Gold.
Mark It Down drew post 8 and will be ridden by Miguel Fuentes Jr.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
Ms. Pounds (Erick Medellin), 12-1
Way To Rule (Daniel P. Vergara), 10-1
Payingoffmymarker (Tracy Hebert), 6-1
Make Up A Story (Joel Rosario), 12-1
Street Mark (Jose Miguel Vazquez), 15-1
Storm In The Valle (Karlo Lopez), 10-1
Mark The Winner (Luis A. Fuentes), 4-5
Mark It Down (Miguel Fuentes Jr.), 9-2
NEW MEXICO CLASSICS DERBY CHAMPIONSHIP (R)
Purse, $150,000 — 6 furlongs
3-year-olds
Stakes winners Sambas Mark and Let Him Be drew posts 1 and 2, respectively, for Monday’s 6-furlong, $150,000 New Mexico Classics Derby Championship (R) for state-bred 3-year-old colts and geldings.
A gelded son of the Bernardini stallion Marking trained by Todd Fincher for owners Norman W. Allen, Chuck Sonnenberg, and Fincher Racing LLC, Sambas Mark has won his last two starts against allowance company at Albuquerque Downs and Zia Park. This season, Sambas Mark has earned $165,456 from eight races, and his five wins include a two-length victory in the 5 1/2-furlong, $50,000 Road Runner Stakes (R) at Ruidoso Downs on July 23.
Karlo Lopez will ride Sambas Mark.
Joel Marr trains Let Him Be for owner V Bar V Racing LLC. A homebred son of the Afleet Alex stallion Sway Away, the gelding won his first three lifetime starts, including the 1-mile, $100,000 Casino at The Downs Derby (R) at Albuquerque Downs on October 7.
Miguel Fuentes Jr. will ride Let Him Be.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
Sambas Mark (Karlo Lopez), 8-5
Let Him Be (Miguel Fuentes Jr.), 9-5
Thruthestorm (Luis A. Fuentes), 15-1
New Mexico Jeremy (Christian Ramos), 20-1
Sweet Money (Luis A. Valenzuela), 12-1
Storm Leader (Joel Rosario), 6-1
Smartsrealgood (Francisco Amparan), 10-1
Mamie’s Last Hope (Anthony Medina), 15-1
Antonios Mark (Oscar Ceballos), 15-1
NEW MEXICO CLASSICS SPRINT CHAMPIONSHIP (R)
Purse, $150,000 — 6 furlongs
3-year-olds & older
Stakes winners Delbert Too and Massive Roar headline Monday’s 6-furlong, $150,000 New Mexico Classics Sprint Championship (R).
A 5-year-old gelded son of Marking owned and trained by Filiberto Quiroz, Delbert Too will be shortening in distance off of his neck victory in the 7-furlong, $100,000 O.D. McDonald Stakes (R) at Albuquerque Downs on October 29. Delbert Too drew post 5 and will be ridden by Jose Miguel Vazquez.
Massive Roar races for The Quarter Company LLC from the barn of trainer Todd Fincher. A homebred 4-year-old son of Sway Away, the gelding has earned $162,710 from seven outs this season, and his three wins include a two-length victory in a division of the 6 1/2-furlong, $100,000 Jack Cole Stakes (R) at SunRay Park in April.
Massive Roar drew post 8 and will be ridden by Alfredo Juarez Jr.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
Diabolical Storm (Rene Diaz), 10-1
Evacuee (Felipe Valdez), 8-1
Strawberry Whisky (Aldo Arboleda), 6-1
Bye Bye Matty P (Christian Ramos), 15-1
Delbert Too (Jose Miguel Vazquez), 8-1
Tucum (Luis H. Rodriguez), 15-1
Izeright (Rodolfo Guerra), 12-1
Massive Roar (Alfredo Juarez Jr.), 5-2
No Pasa Nada (Luis Ramon Rodriguez), 20-1
Diabolical Ruler (Luis A. Fuentes), 8-1
One Mark (Tracy Hebert), 9-2
NEW MEXICO CLASSICS OAKS CHAMPIONSHIP (R)
Purse, $150,000 — 6 furlongs
3-year-old fillies
Better Believe, a stakes winner during the Albuquerque Downs meet, drew post 9 for Monday’s 6-furlong, $100,000 New Mexico Classics Oaks Championship (R) for state-bred sophomore fillies.
Trained by Todd Fincher for owners R. Lee Lewis and Brad King, Better Believe is a homebred daughter of the Bernardini stallion Marking. The bay filly will be shortening in distance off of her wire-to-wire, 3 1/2-length victory in the 6 1/2-furlong, $100,000 Petticoat Stakes (R) at Albuquerque Downs on October 28.
Felipe Valdez will ride Better Believe, who will be making her first lifetime start at Zia Park.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
Jenny’s Penny (Iram V. Diego), 12-1
Shame On Charlotte (Jose Miguel Vazquez), 20-1
First Again (Rodolfo Guerra), 12-1
Moonlight Warrior (Miguel Fuentes Jr.), 5-1
Leonas Girl (Luis Ramon Rodriguez), 30-1
Mama Was A Rocket (Tracy Hebert), 5-2
Doer Not A Faker (Joel Rosario), 10-1
Leap Year Night (Christian Ramos), 20-1
Better Believe (Felipe Valdez), 2-1
Pretty Peppy (Aldo Arboleda), 20-1
Tiz A Journey (Ken Tohill), 12-1
ROCKY GULCH NEW MEXICO CLASSICS CHAMPIONSHIP (R)
Purse, $200,000 — 1 mile & 70 yards
3-year-olds & older
A winner of two of his last three races, Juan Carlos Gutierrez’s Mcthanks is one of the early favorites for Monday’s Rocky Gulch New Mexico Classics Championship (R).
Mcthanks is a 7-year-old son of the Medaglia D’Oro stallion McKenna’s Justice trained by Jose A. Gonzalez. The bay gelding is coming off of a nose victory in a 1-mile & 70-yard open-condition allowance race for New Mexico-breds at Zia Park on November 6.
Mcthanks drew post 7 and will be ridden by Jose Miguel Vazquez.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
Ancient Land (Ernesto Valdez-Jiminez), 10-1
Thunder Dome (Alfredo Juarez Jr.), 9-5
Spinning Black (Luis Ramon Rodriguez), 20-1
Bodie Got Gold (Felipe Valdez), 12-1
Mcmercelus (Luis A. Valenzuela), 6-1
Henry On The Run (Christian Ramos), 20-1
Mcthanks (Jose Miguel Vazquez), 3-1
All Chrome (Kylee Jordan), 15-1
Color Me Gone (Gabriel Arredondo), 30-1
Comet Causey (Ken Tohill), 5-1