Page 67 - New Mexico Horse Breeder, Fall

SUNRAY pARk
SUNRAY PARK MEET WRAP-UP
Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino recorded an increase of nearly 8 percent in overall handle during its 71-day meet, which ended on April 17.
Sunland Park’s meet was scheduled for 72 days, but the track’s April 13 program was canceled due to adverse weather conditions.
A total of $58,705,117 was wagered on Sunland Park’s live races, an increase of 7.7 percent over the track’s 2016-17 handle of $54,522,649. Off-track handle increased 10 percent, from $45,193,453 to $49,740,481, while on-track handle decreased 3.2 percent, from $3,785,814 to $3,665,957.
The track’s signature race and New Mexico’s only graded Thoroughbred stakes, the March 25, $800,000 Sunland Derby (G3), was won by Joe Peacock’s Runaway Ghost. A homebred son of Ghostzapper, Runaway Ghost earned $480,000 and Kentucky Derby qualifying points, but the gelding, who was trained by Todd Fincher, was scratched from the first leg of Thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown due to an injury.
Sunland Derby Day annually draws Sunland Park’s largest crowds, and attendance for the 2018 event was reported at 16,717. Also, a state-record $4,278,344 was wagered on the track’s 12-race all-Thoroughbred program, of which $3,947,381
-- another state record -- was bet off-track. The 2018 Sunland Derby Day handle represented a 35-percent increase over 2017, when $3,163,994 was wagered on a 10-race all-Thoroughbred card.
Sunland Park director of racing operations Dustin Dix attributed the increase in overall handle to the consistency of the track’s first post times.
“In years past, we pushed our post times back later after daylight savings time started, but we didn’t do that this year,” Dix said. “This year, we decided to keep them the same for the sake of consistency, and we think it paid off for us.”
“Our goal for Sunland Derby Day has always been to have a $4-million plus handle, but we didn’t think we would get it this year because our Sunland Park Oaks had a short field,” he added. “But it was great that our local guys won both the Derby and the Oaks. It was exciting for everyone around here.”
On the track, Alfredo Juarez Jr. was Sunland Park’s leading Thoroughbred jockey with 72 wins from 328 mounts, 10 more than runner-up Ry Eikleberry, who rode the winners of 62 races from 310 mounts. Juarez also led all Sunland Thoroughbred riders with mount earnings of $1,519,917.
Henry Dominguez led all Thoroughbred trainers with 39 wins from 230 starters, four
more than runner-up Justin Evans, who sent out 35 winners from 130 starters. Todd Fincher led all Thoroughbred trainers with starter earnings of $1,433,056.
Tom and Sandy McKenna’s Judge Lanier Racing was Sunland Park’s top Thoroughbred owner with 35 wins from 194 starters, 20 more than Miguel Gallegos’ Gallegos del Norte Racing of Albuquerque, which won 15 races from 67 starters. Judge Lanier Racing also led all Thoroughbred owners with purse earnings of $696,314.
On the Quarter Horse side, Manuel Gutierrez led all jockeys with 25 wins from 121 mounts, 11 more than runner-up Esgar Ramirez, who won 14 races from 116 mounts. Raul Herrera led all Quarter Horse riders with mount earnings of $595,148.
Wes Giles was Sunland Park’s leading Quarter Horse trainer with 11 wins from 70 starters, one more than runner-up Jose Luis Muela, who won 10 races from 56 starters. Giles was also the track’s leading trainer in starter earnings at $455,539.
Diamond Racing Stables LLC led all Sunland Park Quarter Horse owners with seven wins from 31 starters, three more than runners-up PBT Racing LLC and Jack Manning. Robert M. Driggers and Ben Lee Ivey topped all Quarter Horse owners in starter earnings at $191,654.
by Michael Cusortelli
FALL 2018 65