Racing


Ruidoso Downs Zia Undercard Stakes
My Boanerges winning the $50,000 Road Runner Handicap Sunday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.

© Jake Rogers / Ruidoso Downs
Ruidoso Downs Zia Undercard Stakes

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—JULY 28, 2019— In addition to the major Quarter Horse stakes on Sunday, Ruidoso Downs hosted three Thoroughbred stakes races on the Zia program.

$50,000 Road Runner Handicap • Five-and-one-half furlongs
Three-year-old thoroughbreds

Nancy Lock's homebred My Boanerges, the 3-1 second choice, was much the best from the top of the turn and through the stretch to take his fifth win from six career starts in 1:04.20 under Jansen Melancon.

The Weston Martin-trained My Boanerges finished five-and-three-quarter lengths ahead of No Pasa Nada and Slewacide Squad was one-and one-half lengths further back in third.

No Pasa Nada is owned by Robert and Del Rae Driggers along with Ben Lee Ivey.

Slewacide Squad is a Michael Weatherly homebred.

A gelding sired by Diabolical, My Boanerges scored his first stakes win his previous start when he won the $60,000 Dine Handicap at SunRay Park.

$50,000 Land of Enchantment • Seven-and-one-half furlongs
Three-year-old and older thoroughbreds

Owned by the Estate of Henry Dominguez and George Coleman, Blazing Navarone showed his class with a frontrunning win in the only race during the Zia Festival that goes around two turns.

Blazing Navarone winning the Land Of Enchantment at Ruidoso Downs. © Jake Rogers
The Enrigue Portillo Gomez-ridden Blazing Navarone started a step slow from the inside post position, however quickly went to the lead and controlled the race. Gomez allowed Blazing Navarone to rate on the backstretch and the Martin Valdez-Cabral Jr.-trained gelding had plenty left in the stretch to win by two-and-one-half lengths with a 1:32.22 time.

R.D. Hubbard's Go For a Stroll was second by four-and-one-half lengths over Thunder Dome, owned by W.D. Carson Sr., M.H. Carson Jr. and Leach Racing LLC.

Blazing Navarone raced to his fourth win from six 2019 starts and his 10th victory from 20 career starts. The gelding is in peak form with a win in the $60,000 Jack Cole Stakes and a second-place run in the O.D. McDonald Handicap in his two previous races.

$50,000 Lincoln Handicap • Six furlongs
Three-year-old and older thoroughbred fillies and mares

J. Kirk and Judy Robison's homebred Fast Gator took the lead entering the stretch and then held off a determined late bid by Ballinouttacontrol, owned by trainer Cliff Lambert along with Jimmy and Rebecca Powers.

Fast Gator winning the Lincoln Handicap at Ruidoso Downs. © Jake Rogers
Fast Gator was timed in 1:12.52 to win by a diminishing one-half length under jockey Miguel Fuentes Jr.

Dale Taylor's homebred Hennessy Express was one-half length behind Ballinouttacontrol for third.

The Joel Marr trained Fast Gator has been a dependable stakes performer. The four-year-old daughter of Diabolical won the $85,000 La Coneja Stakes at Sunland Park back in February.

A year ago, Fast Gator was the gate-to-wire winner of the Sierra Starlet Handicap during the Zia Festival.

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Marcus Medallion (#2) holds off Ryansmanonthemoon in the $50,000 Zia Handicap Saturday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.