A Passion For Flashn is one of two graded stakes winner facing off in Sunday’s 400-yard, $200,000 Sunland Park Juvenile Championship at Sunland Park.

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SUNLAND PARK, NM—DECEMBER 29, 2017—A Passion For Flashn and Apollitical Brooke, a pair of graded stakes winners during the Zia Park fall meet, are among the dozen 2-year-olds entered in Sunday’s 400-yard, $200,000 Sunland Park Juvenile Championship at Sunland Park.

A Passion For Flashn is a son of champion First Moonflash trained by Martin Orona Sr. for owner RC Racing LLC. The colt won two of his three outs during the Zia Park campaign, including the 400-yard, $300,000 New Mexico Cup Futurity (RG2) for state-bred juveniles on October 29.

A Passion For Flashn was also the fastest qualifier to the 400-yard, $371,000 Zia Futurity (RG1) at Ruidoso Downs in July. A $6,500 yearling buy at last year’s New Mexico-Bred Sale, the colt drew post 11 and will be ridden by Manuel Gutierrez.

Apollitical Brooke races for Samantha Leyba and Lilly Leyba from the barn of trainer Ruben Leyba Jr. A brown daughter of world champion Apollitical Jess, the filly will be shortening in distance off of her head victory at odds of 13-1 in the 440-yard, $200,000 Southwest Juvenile Championship (G1) on December 3.

Apollitical Brooke drew post 9 and will be ridden by Irving Delgado-Bustillos.

Diamond Racing Stables’ Believe Me Irene, a daughter of Valiant Hero trained by Jose Luis Muela, drew the rail post and will be ridden by Jose Luis Enriquez. Believe Me Irene is coming off of a second-place finish to Apollitical Brooke in the Southwest Juvenile Championship, and she was a finalist in the 440-yard, $3-million All American Futurity (G1) at Ruidoso Downs in September.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:

1. Believe Me Irene (Jose Luis Enriquez), 8-1
2. Despain GL (Edwuin Lujan), 6-1
3. Jessica Alexandra (L. Salvador Martinez), 10-1
4. Desire Astoli (Mauro Salcedo), 20-1
5. Phantom Fury (Alonso Rivera), 15-1
6. Carris Cartel (Santos Carrizales), 8-1
7. Pops (Adrian Ramos), 20-1
8. Estrella Damm (Sergio Becerra Jr.), 20-1
9. Apollitical Brooke (Irving Delgado-Bustillos), 4-1
10. Suenos Dineros (Esgar Ramirez), 6-1
11. A Passion For Flashn (Manuel Gutierrez), 3-1
12. AE-JM Johnny Cash (Ricky Ramirez), 30-1