Page 99 - Winter 2020

ZIA PARK
New Mexico Cup Derby Champ. (R)
LARIAT
Margaret V. Bloss’ Lariat was a prompt 2-1 favorite in the November 11, $50,000 New Mexico Cup Derby Championship (R) for state- bred sophomore colts and geldings at Zia Park.
Ridden by Duane Sterling for trainer Nancy Summers, Lariat defeated West Dawn by 4 1/4 lengths while covering 6 furlongs in 1:07.70. The dark bay or brown gelding earned $28,500 from his fourth win in nine outs and first stakes victory.
Lariat was stretching out in distance off of a two-length win in a 5 1/2-furlong non-winners- of-three allowance race at Zia Park on October 6. The gelding was bred by Robert and Del Rae Driggers, and he became the sixth black-type stakes winner sired by Southwestern Heat, a Kentucky-bred son of Gone West and 2001 Eclipse champion 3-year-old filly Xtra Heat.
Southwestern Heat has sired the earn- ers of more than $4.5 million from 104 starters, including 2020 New Mexico Cup Sprint Championship (R) winner Wheredoesthecashgo.
Lariat is out of Charlotte’s Drone, a daugh- ter of the Full Choke stallion B.G.’s Drone.
A 2005 foal, Charlotte’s Drone has produced four winners from as many starters, includ- ing Tilla Cat, a half-sister to Lariat who won three stakes in New Mexico from 2016-18, including the 2016 New Mexico Cup Oaks Championship (R).
Lariat’s second dam, the New Mexico-bred Tilt the Odds mare Charlotte’s Ego, won the ‘01 New Mexico Distaff Handicap at SunRay Park. The gelding traces back to his fourth dam, Fanny Falcon, a daughter of the Crimson Satan stallion Crimson Falcon who won the 1981 New Mexican Stakes at Santa Fe Downs.
Lariat has won three of his four outs at Zia Park. A $41,000 yearling purchase at last year’s New Mexico-Bred Sale at Ruidoso Downs, the gelding has earned $83,306, of which $58,740 has been banked from five races this year.
Franchise Tagged ran third, five lengths behind Lariat, and was followed by Effort N Results, Attilianno, Royal Bertrando, Desert Danger, Charlie Comanch, Cerveza, Strawberry Whisky, and On a Warpath.
Runner-up West Dawn is a chestnut son of the Desert God stallion Train Rider Blues
racing for Marina Velazquez. The gelding has won three of 13 outs, and the $9,500 runner-up share of the New Mexico Cup Derby Championship purse pushed his earn- ings to $65,320.
Franchise Tagged banked $4,750 for his owners, Ted Rushing, Lee Owens, B4 Farms LLC, Beaux Davis, and Dale Alan Doby. A $50,000 yearling purchase at last year’s
New Mexico-Bred Sale, the Attila’s Storm gelding has won two of 11 races and has earned $95,837.
Cup Distaff Sprint Stakes purse pushed her earnings to $53,845.
A 4-year-old daughter of Attila’s Storm, Flight Song races for Pierre and Leslie Amestoy of Albuquerque. The dark bay or brown filly has banked $233,673 from 17 outs, and she has won four stakes, including the Aug. 22, 6 1/2-furlong Carlos Salazar Stakes (R) at Albuquerque Downs, and last year’s 6-furlong, $145,000 New Mexico Cup Oaks Championship (R) at Zia Park.
Story by Michael Cusortelli • Photos by Coady Photography
Southwestern Heat
Gone West
Xtra Heat
Charlotte’s Drone
B. G.’s Drone
Charlotte’s Ego
NM Cup Distaff Sprint Champ (R)
Diligent Prospect
Diligence
Farma Love
Super Sister
Your Eminence
Sister Bolton
MINDOFMYOWN
Mindofmyown, a homebred 4-year-old daughter of Diligent Prospect owned by Wesley T. Gray, scored a half-length victory in the November 11, $50,000 New Mexico Cup Distaff Sprint Championship (R) at Zia Park.
Ridden by Duane Sterling for trainer Nancy Summers, Mindofmyown covered 6 furlongs in 1:08.15. The gray or roan filly earned $30,000 from her first career stakes win.
Mindofmyown was coming off of a second-place finish in a 6-furlong, $22,000 allowance dash for state-bred fillies and mares at Zia Park on Oct. 21. The filly is one of three starters sired by Diligent Prospect,
a Florida-bred multiple stakes winning son
of Diligence who earned $227,174 from 27 starts from 2004-08.
Mindmyown is also one of three winners from as many starters foaled by Super Sister, an unraced homebred 12-year-old daughter of the Saint Ballado stallion Your Eminence. The filly is a half sister to Waltzing Attila,
a daughter of Attila’s Storm who has won five stakes, including this year’s Lincoln Handicap (R) at Ruidoso Downs.
Mindofmyown traces back to her third dam, Liberated Sister, an unraced daugh- ter of the Noble Son stallion Rinoso who produced ‘07 New Mexico Cup Sprint Championship (R) winner Highland’s Best.
Mindofmyown was sent to post as the even-money favorite in the field of six and returned a $4 win mutuel. An $8,000 claimer during the 2020 Albuquerque Downs meet, Mindofmyown has won seven of 21 starts and she has banked $110,777, of which $82,234 has been earned this season.
Pink Sky finished second to complete a $2 exacta payoff of $19.80. Flight Song, Let It Roll, Sky Vue, and Shug’s Best completed the order of finish.
Pink Sky is a homebred 5-year-old daughter of the Essence Of Dubai stallion Red Sky Dubai owned by Stable HMA. The mare has won three of seven races, and the $10,000 runner-up share of the New Mexico
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