Page 167 - May 2022

RACING NEWS
New Mexico Breeders’ Stakes-RG3
RIVER FLASH
by Michael Cusortelli
Sent to post at odds of 13-1 in a full field of 10 state-bred sophomores, River Flash sprinted to a 3/4-length victory in the April 24 New Mexico Breeders’ Stakes-RG3 at SunRay Park. River Flash covered 400 yards in :19.599 and earned a 102 speed index while aided by a reported 12-mph tail wind. Adrian Ramos rode the gelding for owners Robert M. Driggers and Ben Lee Ivey, and trainer Wes Giles.
River Flash was bred by Ivey Cattle Company. The gelding is out of Riverside Flash, a winning homebred who was a finalist in the 2017 Zia Futurity-RG1
and New Mexico Cup Futurity-RG2 . His second dam, the winning homebred Mr Eye Opener mare Riverside Eye Opener, ran second in the 2004 La Mariposa Handicap-G3 at Albuquerque Downs.
River Flash was coming off of a sixth-place finish, 3-lengths behind winner Wish Bigg,
in the $100,000 New Mexico Horse Breeders’ Association Stakes-RG2 for state-bred 3-year- olds at Sunland Park on March 12. All told, the gelding has won three of seven starts and has banked $108,984, and his three wins in six outs at the 400-yard distance include last year’s $50,000 New Mexico State Fair Juvenile Stakes
for state-bred juveniles at Albuquerque Downs. HS Golden Eagle
(Osbaldo-Catchtherain) finished in second place and earned the $20,000 runner-up share of the $100,000 purse and bumped his career bankroll to $241,048 from
10 outs for his owner Lucina Salas Lopez. Carlos Guillen Chacon rode the sorrel graded stakes winning filly for trainer Armando Alamos.
Wente (Big Daddy Cartel-Astica) finished in third place, a head behind HS Golden Eagle, while banking the $10,000 third-place share of the purse for owners Scott Branson and Jimmy Vasquez, who purchased the gray gelding as a yearling for $36,000 at the 2020 New Mexico-Bred Sale. Sergio Becerra Jr. rode the stakes-winning gelding for trainer Eric Valenzuela.
Daddys Mony (Big Daddy Cartel-
Jenna James) finished fourth and was
followed by Romeos Ransom (Saturday Nite Romeo-Charmed Damsel), JC New Dawn (Woodbridge-Fly Stolis Chick), RZ Richy (JM Specialwynn-Streakin Cheval Ryon), Dashin Approach (Mr PYC To You-Panther Not A Kitty), Wish Bigg (Big Daddy Cartel-Wish You Had One To), and Long Pour (Big Daddy Cartel-White Wine Glass).
SunRay Park
$100,000 • 400 yards :19.599 • si 102
Chicks Beduino
Chicks Regard
First Regard
RIVER FLASH, ‘19-g.
First Moonflash
Riverside Flash
Riverside Eye Opener
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