Dark Water Bay headlines the $62,100 Alfredo Castro Rea Stakes at the Hipodromo de las Americas on Sunday.

© Luis Prieto Zamudio

By Stallionesearch / Louanne Wainscott

MEXICO CITY, MEX–September 19, 2025–On Sunday, September 21, Hipódromo de las Américas will stage the featured $62,100 Alfredo Castro Rea Stakes in race seven, contested at 350 yards. A competitive field of ten is entered, with the starting gate scheduled to load at approximately 5:30 (EST).

The 5-2 morning line favorite is Dark Water Bay, who comes into the race off a sharp victory in the $38,484 Jody’s Glory Classic Finals, boosting his earnings to $40,574 from just two career wins. The Oklahoma-bred colt is owned by Cuadra Alpuyeca, trained by Antonio García, and bred by Mike Vaughan.

Purchased for $77,000 at the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale, Dark Water Bay is a son of Mr Jess Perry out of Aqua Girl, by Corona Cartel. His résumé includes runner-up finishes in both the John Deere Juvenile Challenge and the Prize Classic finals. Drawn to the outside in post ten, he will again be guided by jockey Heriberto Camacho.

His main challenger is Pacific Surfliner, who has posted three straight wins, including the AQHA Juvenile Challenge, where she defeated Dark Water Bay in the final. The filly has won three of her four starts and has banked $29,573 to date. She is bred in Oklahoma by Kelly Yother Equine LLC and by Freighttrain B out of Ring A Ring Of Roses, by Jess Lips.

Pacific Surfliner was a $9,500 purchase at the 2024 Heritage Place Yearling Sale and races for Cuadra JJ under the training of Julian Gutiérrez. She will break from post position three with jockey H. Gómez in the irons.

With proven talent on both sides, the Alfredo Castro Rea Stakes sets up as a strong showdown between Dark Water Bay and Pacific Surfliner, with a deep supporting cast looking to spring an upset.

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