Preview Racing


Zia Park Presents Sunday Stakes Bonanza
Major Bites has been set as the 5-2 morning-line favorite in the 440-yard, $200,000 Zia Park Championship (G1) on Sunday.

© Coady Photography
Zia Park Presents Sunday Stakes Bonanza

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

HOBBS, NM—NOVEMBER 29, 2018—Five official stakes for American Quarter Horses, topped by the 440-yard, $200,000 Zia Park Championship (G1), will headline Sunday’s 10-race program at Zia Park.

A field of 12 aged runners, including two also-eligible entries, has been entered in the Zia Park Championship. Major Bites, the 5-2 morning-line favorite, will be facing open company off of his 1 1/2-length victory in the 440-yard, $170,000 Namehimastreaker New Mexico Cup Championship (G1) at Zia Park on November 4. Trained by Jesus Carrete for owner Israel Bordier, the 5-year-old Jesse James Jr gelding has won four of five starts and has banked $306,000 this season, with his only loss being a second-place finish to two-time reigning world champion Jessies First Down in the September 23, $300,000 Albuquerque Fall Championship (G1).

Major Bites drew post 3 and will be ridden by Jose Alvarez.

Other contenders include Believe Me Irene, a 3-year-old daughter of Valiant Hero who will be facing older horses for the first time off of her neck victory in the 440-yard, $220,000 Hobbs America Derby (G3) in October. Trained by Jose Luis Muela for owner Diamond Racing Stables, the filly drew post 5 and will be ridden by Esgar Ramirez.

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

  1. Apollitical Brooke (Irving Delgado-Bustillos), 15-1
  2. Papaws Paint (Bonifacio Perez), 9-2
  3. Major Bites (Jose Alvarez), 5-2
  4. Tough To Bee (Ricky Ramirez), 5-1
  5. Believe Me Irene (Esgar Ramirez), 7-2
  6. Katella Deli (Sergio Becerra Jr.), 15-1
  7. Valiant Rogue (Alonso Rivera), 15-1
  8. Jess Bein The Hero (Manuel Gutierrez), 8-1
  9. A Passion For Flashn (Jesse Levario), 20-1
  10. Apolltical Chad (Adrian Ramos), 10-1
  11. AE-Putinical (Joseph Belloc Jr.), 6-1
  12. AE-SF Hot Pass (Francisco Calderon), 3-1

Southwest Juvenile Invitational Championship (G1)

Eagle Coast, a stakes-winning son of One Dashing Eagle trained by Jose Luis Muela for owner Ernesto Palacio, will make his next start in Sunday’s 440-yard, $150,000 Southwest Juvenile Invitational Championship (G1) for 2-year-olds.

Eagle Coast is coming off of a nose victory in the 400-yard, $344,000 Hobbs America Futurity (G1) at Zia Park on October 7. The gelding has won three of seven starts and has earned $209,658, and his season resume includes a third-place finish, a half of a length behind winner Suze Returns, in the April 14, 300-yard West Texas Futurity (G2) at Sunland Park.

Eagle Coast drew post 6 and will be ridden by Sergio Becerra Jr. His opponents include Licon Farm and Ranch LLC’s Tools In The Sky, a gelded son of First Down Dash trained by Mike Joiner. Tools In The Sky’s summer campaign at Ruidoso Downs included a fourth-place run, one length behind winner Apocalyptical Jess, in the 440-yard, $3-million All American Futurity (G1) on September 3.

Tools In The Sky drew post 2 and will be ridden by Felipe Garcia-Luna.

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

  1. Suze Returns (Tanner Thedford), 4-1
  2. Tools In The Sky (Felipe Garcia-Luna), 6-1
  3. Tyson Gay (Alonso Rivera), 15-1
  4. Wokatee On Fire (James Flores), 8-1
  5. Jest Famous (Ricky Ramirez), 2-1
  6. Eagle Coast (Sergio Becerra Jr.), 9-2
  7. Zee James (Adrian Ramos), 12-1
  8. Jess Versiontino (Jesse Levario), 30-1
  9. Viva Le Don (Randy Wilson), 10-1
  10. Taking The Stage (Manuel Gutierrez), 20-1
  11. AE-Moonflash Numbers (Sergio Becerra Jr.), 15-1
  12. AE-Jess Saying (Raul Ramirez Jr.), 10-1

Lovington Stakes (G2)

This Is A Deal Too, a homebred 3-year-old son of Dealagame owned by Pete Scarmardo, will make his debut against older horses in Sunday’s 400-yard, $50,000 Lovington Stakes (G2).

Trained by Jackie Riddle, This Is A Deal Too will be shortening in distance off of his fourth-place finish, three-quarters of a length behind winner Hotstepper, in the 440-yard, $376,000 Texas Classic Derby (G1) at Lone Star Park on November 10. The gelding drew post 7 and will be ridden by Francisco Calderon.

Other contenders include Paragon Farms’ Hierarchy, a sophomore son of champion FDD Dynasty trained by Blane Wood. Raced at Ruidoso Downs last summer, the gelding ran second, a neck behind winner Intense Fire, in the 440-yard, $100,000 First Down Dash Stakes on September 2, and third, one length behind winner Jess Move You, in the 400-yard, $759,000 Ruidoso Derby (G1) in June.

Hierarchy drew post 2 and will be ridden by Raul Ramirez Jr.

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

  1. Born To B Bad (Cody Smith), 12-1
  2. Hierarchy (Raul Ramirez Jr.), 10-1
  3. Mr Perry Strong (Felipe Garcia-Luna), 9-2
  4. Strykr Force (Martin Felix), 8-1
  5. Apollitical Ok (Manuel Gutierrez), 5-1
  6. Swiss White Wine (Jose Alvarez), 20-1
  7. This Is A Deal Too (Francisco Calderon), 8-1
  8. Mojo Perry (Esgar Ramirez), 8-1
  9. Myst Fit (Ricky Ramirez), 7-2
  10. Boogies Special Dash (Adrian Ramos), 6-1
  11. AE-A Special Dynasty (Tanner Thedford), 15-1
  12. AE-FDD Can Jazz (Santos Carrizales), 20-1

Two other stakes will be contested at Zia Park on Sunday. A dozen state-bred distaffers have been entered in the 400-yard, $145,000 New Mexico Fillies & Mares Championship (RG1). David Bloomer’s Mamacita Cartel, a homebred 4-year-old Big Daddy Cartel mare trained by Cynthia Gonzalez, drew the rail post and will be ridden by Edgar Martinez. Mamacita Cartel is coming off of a second-place finish, 1 1/2 lengths behind winner Major Bites, in the 440-yard, $170,000 Namehimastreaker New Mexico Cup Championship (RG1) at Zia Park on November 4.

Also on Sunday, Zoomin Racer heads a field of distance specialists in the 870-yard, $50,000 King Rick Rack Stakes. Owned and trained by Jesus Carrete of Albuquerque, the 5-year-old son of Jess Zoomin has banked $79,679 from five outs this season, and her four wins include a three-quarter length victory as the fastest qualifier and 3-5 favorite in the July 29, 870-yard AQHA Albuquerque Distance Challenge at Albuquerque Downs. Zoomin Racer drew post 3 and will be ridden by Jansen Melancon.

All Zia Park races can be seen at Q-RacingVideo.com.