Page 40 - Summer 2020

SUNLAND PARK
by Emily Blankenship, photos by Coady Photography
Albert & Henry Dominguez M. Handicap
Song Of Navarone
Sultry Song
Timely Legend
Carmen’s Delight
Carmen’s Glory
Dela’s Delight
BLAZING NAVARONE
Sent to the post at odds of 3-4 in a field
of seven state-bred aged runners, Blazing Navarone broke second from the 5-post and led at every subsequent call to win the February 23, $100,000 Albert and Henry Dominguez Memorial Handicap at Sunland Park.
Blazing Navarone went 1 1/16-miles on the dirt in :1:43.67 and his margin of victory was 3 1/4-lengths from Rig Time. Ry Eikleberry rode the bay gelding for owner Barbara M. Coleman and trainer Martin Valdez-Cabral Jr. Blazing Navarone banked the $60,000 winner’s share of the purse from his first win in 2020.
Blazing Navarone was bred by Lucky Six Inc. The gelding’s sire, Song Of Navarone, raced in California and New Mexico from 2006-10 and earned $757,858 from 21 outs and won five stakes races, including the ‘07 WinStar Derby (now Sunland Derby), ’08 Veteran Stakes and ’08 Zia Park Distance Championship Handicap.
Now 16, Song Of Navarone has sired the earn- ers of more than $1.6 million from seven crops, including stakes placed Song Of Laura and Terras Song. The stallion is owned by Lucky Six Inc. and stands for a Private Treaty at Lucky Six Farms in Sunland Park, New Mexico.
Blazing Navarone is one of four win- ners from five starters produced by Carmen’s
Delight, a winning daughter of the Relaunch stallion Carmen’s Glory. The gelding is a half- brother to Carmen’s Rocket, a winning son
of Rocket Included, who finished third in the 2013 Dine Stakes (R) at SunRay Park and ran fourth in the 2014 Rocky Gulch New Mexico Classic Cup Championship Stakes at Zia Park.
Of Blazing Navarone’s total bankroll, $228,840 was earned during his 4-year-old season. The gelding has won eight stakes, including the 2018 1 1/16-mile, $100,000 New Mexico Breeders’ Derby (R) at Sunland Park. The gelding also won the 2018 6-fur- long, $140,000 New Mexico Cup Derby Championship (R) at Zia Park. Blazing Navarone has banked $621,316 from 25 races.
Blazing Navarone completed a $1 exacta pay- off of $10.20. Runners-Up Rig Time and Go For A Stroll completed a $1 trifecta payoff of $40.20.
Rig Time finished second, 4 1/2-furlongs ahead of Go For A Stroll, who was followed by Thunder Dome, Streaks Bro, Yano’s Way and Shining Source. Jet N G was scratched.
Rig Time is a 5-year-old Right Rigger gelding campaigned by Larry & Harry Teague. Trained by Weston Martin, Rig Time has won seven of 21 outs, and the $20,000 runner-up share of the Albert and Henry Dominguez Memorial Handicap increased his earnings to
$317,154. Rig Time was coming off a victory in the January 26 Johnie L. Jamison Handicap.
Go For A Stroll races for the late R.D. Hubbard, who also bred the gelding. Go For
A Stroll has won eight of 33 starts, includ-
ing the 2018 7 1/2-furlong, $50,000 Land Of Enchantment Handicap (R) at Ruidoso Downs and he has banked $413,543.
The Albert and Henry Dominguez Memorial Handicap (R) was one of three featured races on the card at Sunland Park
on February 23. The handicap is named after longtime horse trainer Henry Dominguez, who passed away in May of 2019. During his train- ing career, Dominguez won 1,855 races with earnings of over $37 million.
38 New Mexico Horse Breeder