Adding another title to an already spectacular year of racing, Valiant Tiberias rallied down the center of the course to take top honors in Sunday’s 19th running of the Grade 1, $350,000 Championship at Sunland Park.
Ridden to victory by James Flores, Valiant Tiberias broke smartly from his outside post and rolled on the outside, just getting a head in front of runnerup Danjer in the final yards before prevailing by a long neck.
Owned by Sergio Holguin, Cliften Neilsen and Felix Rodriguez, Valiant Tiberias tacks on another stakes race to what has been a tremendous campaign. The Oklahoma-bred son of Valiant Hero also won the Ruidoso Derby Challenge this past summer before winning the Grade 3 Adequan Derby Challenge in October at the Downs at Albuequerque.
Valiant Tiberias ran the classic distance of 440 yards in a fast final time of 20.90 seconds and returned $7 to his winning backers as the 5-to-2 second choice on the toteboard.
Apollitical Pence got the lead shortly after the start and was more than a length clear midway down the straightaway. He was quickly joined by Danjer, ridden by Cody Jensen along with longshot Hes Limitless as well as the eventual winner.
Flores got the most out of Valiant Tiberias in the final yards as he surged clear in the shadow of the wire, the sixth in his 12-race career which pads his lifetime earnings to more than $395,600.
Danjer completed the exacta, which returned $37.20 for each $2 bet. Hes Limitless was just ahead of Apolittlcal Fence for third place.
Ryansmanonthemoon, sent off as the 7-to-5 post time favorite, lost all chance at the start when he was away slowly, finishing sixth in the field of 10.
For Jensen, the second place finish aboard Danjer also marked the final ride of his career. Jensen announced his retirement earlier this month and will walk away from the sport with more than 1600 quarter horse wins, more than 50 Grade 1 wins including two All American Futurities (2005 aboard Teller Cartel and 2006 aboard No Secrets Here) and last year’s Champion of Champions at Los Alamitos aboard Bodacious Eagle.
Live racing at Sunland Park resumes Tuesday with an all-thoroughbred card that begins at 12:25 p.m. Racing highlights next weekend include Friday’s trials for the Shue Fly Futurity, followed by a pair of stakes races on Saturday, including the Jess Burner Memorial Handicap for New Mexico-bred older quarter horses racing 400 yards for a purse of $100,000 and the Bold Ego Handicap, for older filly and mare thoroughbreds racing 5 ½ furlongs.
Check out the video of Sunday's Championship right here.
Chief Cicatriz rolls in KLAQ Handicap
Validating his status as an overwhelming post time favorite, Roy Gene Evans' Chief Cicatriz scored an impressive victory in Saturday's 30th running of the $65,000 KLAQ Handicap, winning by three-quarters of a length over a determined challenger in Raagheb.
Ridden to victory by Elvin Gonzalez, Chief Cicatriz dueled through a fast opening quarter-mile of 22.27 seconds with Mr. Mooch. Those two raced as a pair to midway around the far turn before Gonzalez began to inch clear. Raagheb, ridden by Shave Laviolette, ranged up quickly on the outside as the field turned for home.
Chief Cicatriz gradually edged clear of his determined rival passing the final furlong marker, winning as the 1-to-9 post time favorite. The winner crossed the finish line racing 5 furlongs in a final time of 56.51 seconds and returned $2.20 to his winning backers.
Trained by Shawn Davis, Chief Cicatriz has now strung together three straight wins, with his most recent scores coming in the Zia Park Sprint Championship on Nov. 27. Before that, the Kentucky-bred son of Munnings won the Luke Kruytbosch Stakes at Turf Paradise in Phoenix, Arizona.
In all, Chief Cicatriz has won 13 times from 20 career starts. The win in the KLAQ Handicap pads his lifetime earnings to nearly $463,000.
Ragheeb completed the exacta, which returned $11 on a $2 wager. He finished just a half-length clear of third place finisher Conquest Smartee while Mr Mooch rounded out the top four. Hardcore Troubador and Secular Nation were both scratched earlier in the day.
Check out the video of the KLAQ Handicap right here!
Susans Violette gives repeat performance in NMRC Handicap
It took 364 days for Susans Violette to find herself back in the winners circle, but she did so with style, running away to an impressive win in the 20th running of the $100,000 New Mexico Racing Commission Handicap, repeating her victory in this same race almost a year ago to the day.
Ridden to victory by Enrique Gomez for co-owner and trainer Chip Woolley, Susans Violette broke alertly from her outside post. The daughter of Stellar Rain dueled down the backstretch with African Heat. Susans Violette opened up on her 9 rivals passing the furlong marker and drew clear, winning by 4 1/4 lengths as the 2.80-to-1 third choice on the toteboard. She ran the 5 1/2 furlongs in a final time of 1 minute, 4.04 seconds.
Susans Violette is a perfect 2-for-2 over the Sunland oval. She won this race last year and has now won six times from 11 career starts, including stakes scores in the New Mexico Classic Cup Oaks at Zia Park in 2018. In addition to Kentucky Derby winning trainer Woolley, Susans Violette is also owned by Steven D. Stewart. She adds to her lifetime bankroll, which now stands at over $252,800.
Susans Violette returned $7.60 to her winning backers. Sidewinder Sally finished second, completing the exacta, which returned a healthy $152.40 for a $2 wager. Ballinouttacontrol wound up third and Orogrande rounded out the top four. Post time favorite Flight Song attended the early pace between rivals under Alfredo Juarez, Jr., but gave way around the far turn, finishing seventh.
Waltzing Attila, the morning line favorite in the race, was scratched earlier in the day.
Check out video of the NMRC Handicap right here!