SUNLAND PARK, NM—DECEMBER 23, 2019—The new live racing season at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino begins on Thursday (Dec. 26) and will get off to a rousing start with three stakes races the first weekend including the $350,000 Championship at Sunland Park (Gr. I) on Sunday (Dec. 29).

The elite Quarter Horse feature is run at 440 yards as the 4th race on Sunday and promises to yield a highly contentious group of older Quarter Horses.

Ryansmanonthemoon looks like the sharpest horse in the group. Trained by Cynthia Gonzalez, the impeccable New Mexico-bred son of First Moonflash rocketed to victory in the $200,000 Zia Park Quarter Horse Championship on Dec. 1. He relishes the 440 yard distance and defeated the classy Valiant Tiberias by three parts of a length.

Last season, Ryansmanonthemoon excelled over Sunland Park soil and won the rich Shue Fly Stakes and NMHBA Quarter Horse Stakes. He challenged some of the best in the world at Ruidoso Downs last summer. His 5 wins this year have earned nearly $300,000. He packs a wicked late kick with jockey Mauro Salcedo in the irons.

Valiant Tiberias, stakes winner at Ruidoso Downs and Albuquerque this season, has displayed great speed all year long. The Wes Giles trainee has won five times in 2019 with nearly $240,000 in earnings. The Valiant Hero gelding was a gallant second to Ryansmanonthemoon in the Zia Park Quarter Horse Championship.

AQHA Challenge Championship runner-up and Rio Grande Handicap winner Eye N Capo, a son of multiple stakes sire Capo de Capi and the classy FDD Dynasty gelding Danjer add further depth to a great race.

Apollitical Pence, a major juggernaut from Los Alamitos and Remington Park, should take major play with nearly $600,000 in career earnings. The three-year-old son of Apollitcal Jess won a major derby at Remington Park last spring and was recently third in a $1 million derby at Los Alamitos. J.J. Gonzales is his trainer.

Rainbow Derby winner Eagle Coast, a son of world champion One Dashing Eagle, is also in the mix.

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Chief Cicatriz, one of the fastest Thoroughbreds in the Southwest, returns to Sunland Park on Saturday for the $65,000 KLAQ Handicap (8th race) at 5 furlongs. The graded stakes winner trained by Shawn Davis is riding a two stakes race win streak and is strictly the one to beat at morning line odds of 6-5.The 12- time winner has earned over $423,000 and gets Elvin Gonzalez in the saddle. He soundly beat a similarly field in the Zia Park Sprint Stakes last November.

Defending champion Hardcore Troubadour, Secular Nation, Minister Of Soul and Raagheb should also have a say in the classy sprint stakes.

Waltzing Attila and Flight Song collide in the $100,000 New Mexico State Racing Commission Handicap (9th race) on Saturday going five and one-half furlongs. The two New Mexico-bred females are the leaders in the distaff division. Armed with a closing punch, Flight Song has won three stakes this year for trainer Todd Fincher including the New Mexico Cup Oaks at Zia Park. Waltzing Attila used her considerable early speed to win a $145,000 stakes at Zia Park on Oct. 27.

Post time on Thursday, Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday is 12:25 p.m.

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Except for opening day Thursday, Dec. 26, live racing at Sunland Park takes place on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday basis through Tuesday, April 21, 2020. Post time to start the season is 12:25 p.m. Nine races will be carded on weekdays. Ten races will be presented on Saturdays and Sundays.