Page 104 - NM Summer 2023

SUNLAND PARK
La Senora Stakes (R)
Photos by Coady Photography
Diabolical
Artax
Bonnie Byerly
Gator Prowl
Roar Of The Tiger
Reed And Rite
MAMA WAS A ROCKET
Felipe Valdez rode Mama Was A Rocket to a 1 1/4-length win in the January 15, $100,000 La Senora Stakes (R) for New Mexico-bred 3-year- old Thoroughbred fillies at Sunland Park.
Trained by Todd Fincher for owners J. Kirk and Judy Robison of El Paso, Texas, Mama Was A Rocket covered 6 furlongs in 1:11.99. The chestnut daughter of Diabolical earned $60,000 from her first career stakes victory.
Mama Was A Rocket was bred by the Robisons and Downstream Racing LLC. The filly’s sire, Diabolical, is a 20-year-old Kentucky- bred son of the Marquetry stallion Artax. Campaigned in six countries from 2005-09, Diabolical banked $1,467,401 from 32 races, and his five stakes wins included the 2007 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G2) at Saratoga Racecourse and Maryland Breeders’ Cup Sprint Handicap (G3) at Pimlico Racecourse.
Diabolical has sired 14 official black-type stakes winners and the earners of more than $10.09 million from 11 crops, including multiple stakes winners Diabolical Dame, Liberty Lover and That’s The Idea.
Mama Was A Rocket is also one of six winners from as many starters produced by Gator Prowl, a Florida-bred daughter of the Storm Cat stallion Roar Of The Tiger and winner of the 2010 Marshua Stakes at Laurel Park in Maryland. The filly is a full sister to Fast Gator, a filly
whose six New Mexico-bred stakes wins included
the 2017 Rio Grande Senorita Futurity (R) at Ruidoso Downs and La Senora Stakes (R) at Sunland Park, and 2018 Sierra Blanca Handicap (R) winner Diabolical Gator, and she is a half- sister to Good With People, a Curlin To Mischief colt who won two California-bred stakes at Del Mar in 2020, including the $151,500 Golden State Juvenile Stakes (R).
Mama Was A Rocket’s second dam, the winning Florida-bred Notebook mare Reed And Rite, foaled six winners from eight starters. The filly traces back to her fourth dam, What A Future, a daughter of the Hail To Reason stallion Roberto who produced What A Brainstorm, the winner of the 2000 Calder Derby (G3) at Calder Racecourse and 2001 Pan American Handicap (G2) at Gulfstream Park.
Mama Was A Rocket was making her sophomore season debut in the La Senora; she ended her juvenile campaign with a second-place finish in a 6-furlong, $44,000 first-level allowance race for state-bred fillies at Zia Park on December 13. All told, she has won two of six races and
has earned $89,962, and her record includes a third-place run, one length behind dead heat winners Bryns Mark and Seventh St Diamond, in last year’s 6-furlong, $125,000 New Mexico Cup Lassie Championship (R) at Zia Park.
Crossfire Cowgirl finished second and was followed by 17-10 favorite Hannah’s Highlife, Doer Not A Faker, First Again and Holottalute.
A homebred daughter of the Bernardini stallion Marking and a full sister to stakes winner Mark’s Warrior, Crossfire Cowgirl is campaigned by Dale F. Taylor Racing LLC. The chestnut filly has won one of seven starts, and the $20,000 runner-up share of the La Senora Stakes purse bumped her earnings to $57,554.
Hannah’s Highlife was just two weeks removed from her 2 3/4-length win in a
5 1/2-furlong, $42,000 non-winner-of-
two allowance race for New Mexico-bred sophomore fillies at Sunland Park. The homebred gray or roan daughter of the Midnight Lute stallion Holy Lute has won two of five outs for her owner, Teed Off Stable LLC, and the $10,000 third-place share of the La Senora Stakes purse increased her bankroll to $69,520.
102 New Mexico Horse Breeder