Page 66 - NMHBA Summer 2017

By Michael Cusortelli
SUNBURST STAKES (RG3)
RUNNiNG DRAGo N
Zulu Dragon
First Down Dash
Hidden Dragon
Banking Lane
Devon Lane (TB)
Banking Disco
Running Dragon kept her winning streak alive with a wire-to-wire, half-length victory in the April 1, $85,000 Sunburst Stakes (RG3) for New Mexico-bred sophomore fillies at Sunland Park.
Ridden by Adrian Ramos, Running Dragon went 350 yards in :17.387 while posting a 93 speed index and her fourth consecutive win. Juan M. Gonzalez prepped the homebred Zulu Dragon filly for owner By By JJ LLC of El Paso, Texas.
Running Dragon is the leading earner sired by second-year sire Zulu Dragon,
a 10-year-old son of all-time leading sire and 1987 world champion First Down Dash and the graded stakes winning Dean Miracle mare Hidden Dragon. A half brother to 2013 Mountain Top Futurity (RG1) winner Heza Wild Dragon, Zulu Dragon raced from 2009-13, and he earned $180,054 from 29 outs, and his six wins included the ‘12 James Isaac Hobbs Stakes (G2) at Zia Park.
Zulu Dragon has sired the earners of more than $951,000 from two crops, including 2016 New Mexico Cup Futurity (RG2) winner Magnifico Dragon. The stallion is owned by 21 Partnership and stands for a $6,000 fee at Bar Y Equine in Berino, New Mexico.
Running Dragon is also the first starter foaled by the homebred 11-year-old Storm Cat (TB) mare Banking Lane.
Raced exclusively in New Mexico, Running Dragon has won 10 of her 12 starts, and the $51,000 winner’s share bumped
her bankroll to $572,641. The filly’s current streak includes victories in the February 19, New Mexico Horse Breeders’ Association Stakes (RG2), and the January 15, Shue Fly Stakes (RG2), both at Sunland Park.
Running Dragon was sent to post as the 1-5 favorite and returned a $2.40 win mutuel in the Sunburst. Princess Jessie Jane, the 7-2 second choice in the full field of 10, ran second to complete a $2 exacta dividend of $6.
Frost Dalena finished third and was followed by Eyes Gona Flash You, First Vegas Moon, First Lluvia Runaway, La Montesa, La Riena Del Sur, Miss Call Me First, and Jess A Glance.
Princess Jessie Jane is a daughter of Jesse James Jr owned by Daniel Nunez. The filly has won two of six outs, and the $18,700 runner-up share of the Sunburst Stakes pushed her earnings to $52,460.
A $9,700 purchase at the 2015 Heritage Place Yearling Sale in Oklahoma City, Frost Dalena races for Jeff Caron. The Chicks Regard filly has won two of eight races and has banked $54,048, and she was the runner-up to A Super Sonic Boom in last year’s New Mexico Breeders’ Futurity (RG3) at SunRay Park.
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SUNLAND PARK MEET RECAP
Sunland Park registered increases in average daily handle and average field size during its 72-day Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse meet, which ended on April 18.
According to figures provided by the track, Sunland Park’s per-race handle reached a track-record $74,685. Total on-track handle on Sunland’s live races was up 22 percent and off-track handle on its live races increased 36 percent over the track’s 2015- 16 season, which was shortened to 61 days due to an EHV-1 outbreak on track and at nearby training centers.
“Comparing this year’s stats to last year’s is like comparing apples to oranges because we ran fewer days last year,” said Sunland Park director of racing Dustin Dix. “But looking at an average-per-race handle, we were up more than 11 percent. I think moving all of our Quarter Horse races to Fridays and offering primarily Thoroughbred races the other three days helped contribute to the increase, especially in our off-track handle.
“Also, we moved the majority of our stakes races to Sundays because there is less competition for those types of races on Sundays,” he added. “Of course, running the Sunland Derby this year after one year off contributed several million dollars to our overall handle.”
Average field size on Sunland Park’s races reached 8.72 horses per race, up 3 percent from 8.46 during the track’s 2015- 16 season. Sunland’s average field size for its Thoroughbred races was up 2.5 percent, from 8.19 in 2015-16 to 8.39 this year.
“Even with us running 11 more
days this year, we saw a decrease in
our catastrophic injuries,” Dix said. “Considering that, along with our average field size being up and our handle being up, we were very pleased with the meet.
“We just want to keep growing and making our track a better place for horsemen and fans alike,” he added.
On the track, Ry Eikleberry was Sunland Park’s leading Thoroughbred jockey with
65 wins from 305 mounts, 11 more than runner-up Alfredo Juarez Jr., who rode the winners of 54 races from 281 mounts. Juarez was the meet’s leading jockey in mount earnings at $1,536,063.
Sunland Park’s leading Thoroughbred trainer, Justin Evans, won 57 races from 207 starters, 25 more than runner-up Henry Dominguez, who prepped the winners of 32 races from 213 starters. Evans also led all Thoroughbred trainers in purse earnings at $1,061,808.
Tom and Sandra McKenna’s Judge Lanier Racing topped all Sunland Park Thoroughbred owners with 24 wins from 174 starters, 14 more than runner-up Solitaire Stables, which won 10 races from 40 starters. Judge Lanier Racing also was the meet’s leading Thoroughbred owner with purse earnings at $811,116.
Esgar Ramirez, last year’s AQHA champion jockey, topped all Quarter Horse riders at Sunland Park with 26 wins from 126 mounts, two more than runner-up
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Coady Photography