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Rio Grande Señor TB Futurity (R)
by Michael Cusortelli • Photos by Jake Rogerss
Marking
Bernardini
Seventh Street
Key To My Warrior
Majestic Warrior
Key To My Heart
MARK’S WARRIOR
Mark’s Warrior, a homebred son of Marking owned by Dale F. Taylor Racing LLC, broke his maiden in the August 15, $116,386 Rio Grande Senor Futurity (R) for New Mexico-bred 2-year-old Thoroughbred colts and geldings at Ruidoso Downs.
Trained by Todd Fincher, Mark’s Warrior went 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:05.94 under jockey Alfredo Sigala, and his margin of victory was a 1/2-length from Lead Monterey. The bay gelding earned $58,193 from his first win in four starts.
Mark’s Warrior came from far back off of the fractions of :21.86 and :45.49 set by pacesetters Life Jacket and Infinite Heat.
“I was waiting for room,” said Sigala after the race. “I knew I had plenty of horse underneath me and we just needed a hole. One opened up, and that’s why we’re in the winner’s circle.”
Mark’s Warrior was coming off of a fourth- place finish, 2 3/4-lengths behind winner Lead Monterey, in the first of two trials on July 30.
The gelding became the fourth black-type stakes winner sired by Marking, a winning 9-year- old son of the A.P. Indy stallion Bernardini and a half-brother to Grade 2 winner Lake Avenue.
Racing on two continents from 2015-2016, Marking banked $426,200 from eight outs, and his record included a second-place finish
in the 2015 Malibu Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park. The stallion has sired the earners of more than $537,000 from two crops, including stakes winners Marked, Slammed, and Delbert Too. Marking is owned by Fred Alexander and Todd Fincher, and he stands for a $3,500 fee at Fred and Linda Alexander’s A & A Ranch at Anthony, New Mexico.
Mark’s Warrior is one of five winners from as many starters produced by Key To My Warrior, a winning 11-year-old daughter of the A.P.
Indy stallion Majestic Warrior. The gelding is a half-brother to 2020 Mountain Top Futurity (R) winner My Storm Warrior.
Mark’s Warrior’s second dam, the Mr. Prospector mare Key To My Heart, foaled eight winners from 10 starters, including Love N’ Kiss S., a half-sister to Key To My Warrior who won the second division of the 2001 Pebbles Handicap (G3) at Belmont Park. Mark’s Warrior traces back to his third dam, Barbs Dancer, a winning and stakes-placed daughter of Northern Dancer who produced two stakes winners, including Eillo, a full brother to Key To My Heart who won the inaugural Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) at Hollywood Park in 1984.
Mark’s Warrior’s first stakes victory pushed his career bankroll to $66,533.
Fabstraction ran third, a head behind Lead Monterey and was followed by Lonzo Who, 13-10 favorite Bye Bye Matty P, Life Jacket, Charlie Dynasty, Infinite Heat, and Jet Set Warrior.
Lead Monterey is a homebred gray son of the Thunderello stallion Monterey Jazz campaigned by Reliance Ranches LLC. The gelding has won one of four starts and has banked $33,037.
A homebred gelded son of the Pulpit stallion Abstraction, Fabstraction has banked $15,166 from two outs for his owners, W.D. Carson, M.H. Carson, and Leach Racing LLC. Fabstraction is one of three starters produced by Lady Genius,
a homebred Quinton’s Gold mare who won four New Mexico-bred stakes from 2013-14.
RUIDOSO DOWNS
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