Page 222 - February 2021

RACING NEWS
Dona Ana County Handicap
COLBY JAMES
by Michael Compton
Veteran campaigner and multiple graded stakes winner Colby James made it back- to-back stakes wins with a game victory in the $100,000 Dona Ana County Handicap for New Mexico-breds at Sunland Park Jan. 22.
With jockey Ricky Ramirez in the irons, Colby James broke smartly in the 440-yard test. He dueled with early leader Bigg Dee and Marcus Medallion through the lane as the top three principals had the race to themselves. After a spirited duel, Colby James surged to the front at the right time, defeating Marcus Medallion by a neck in an exciting blanket finish. It was another neck back to 3rd-place finisher (and the winner’s stablemate) Bigg Dee. Colby James stopped the timer in :21.769 and earned a speed index of 93 for trainer James Gonzales III.
In winning for the 8th time from 20 lifetime starts, Colby James added the $60,000 winner’s share of the purse to his
Sunland Park
$100,000 • 440 yards :21.769 • si 93
JESSE JAMES JR
si 98
Bred by: Charlie & Dixie Patterson Raced to 5 • $167,275 21-5(1)-4(2)-3(1)
832 f., 37 SW • $20,868,082
MR JESS PERRY si 113 Bred by: Jesse Perry Raced to 4 • $687,184 21-12(5)-2(1)-0
1,951 f., 158 SW • $59,552,809
Bred by: MJ Farms
Raced to 5 $550,168 20-8(4)-4(3)-3(1)
LOOSE LIPS si 105 Bred by: Brad Tate Raced to 4 • $83,636 15-4-2(1)-2(1)
16 f., 3 SW • $889,742
SANDY JUNE BUG
Bred by: MJ Farms Unraced
27 f., 4 SW • $1,451,037
BLUSHING BUG si 108 Bred by: Robert W. Moore Raced to 8 • $185,573 60-13(2)-10(5)-8(1)
543 f., 23 SW • $5,570,210
SANDYS FAME si 97 Bred by: Janis Spencer Raced to 2 • $32,012 5-2-2(1)-0
24 f., 1 SW • $886,444
220 SPEEDHORSE February 2022
Colby James winning the $100,000 Dona Ana County Handicap under jockey Ricky Ramirez at Sunland Park.
Coady Photography
COLBY JAMES, ‘17-g.