Conquest Mo Money looked terrific on Sunday powering away an 11-length winner in the 54th running of the $106,000 Riley Allison Stakes at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino.
Racing for leading owners Judge Lanier Racing, Conquest Mo Money stamped himself as an early contender for the $800,000 Sunland Derby (Gr. III) to be run on Sunday, March 26. The promising three-year-old son of Uncle Mo raced forwardly into the first turn and prompted a steady tempo into the backstretch. Although threatened and headed by Underwood down the backstretch, Conquest Mo Money quickened and regained control of the lead passing the half-mile marker.
Heading into the stretch run, Conquest Mo Money and put his rivals to sleep and opened up a sizeable advantage. He and jockey Jorge Carreno sailed through the stretch to win by double digits and stopped the clock for the one mile distance in a fast 1:36.42. The time just missed the track record of 1:34.62 set by Buddha in 2008. The winner returned a generous $29.80 to win.
The talented Miguel Hernandez trains the up and coming sophomore star for Tom and Sandy McKenna of Judge Lanier Racing. Their recent acquisition is unbeaten in two starts over Sunland Park soil. They took home the $60,000 winner’s paycheck. A very happy Tom McKenna indicated in the winner’s circle that the Sunland Derby come be the next objective.
Wine N Divine finished made a belated run to gain second place with jockey Miguel Perez. The runner-up earned $22,000 for owner-trainer Greg Green. The 2-1 favorite Underwood made a move midway through the feature but could not sustain his momentum and ended up third.
Kell Paso pushed her way to the front and scored a surprisingly easy win at 16-1 odds in the $65,000 El Paso Times Stakes going six and one-half furlongs. Ricardo Jaime rode the speedy winner for trainer Greg Green. Kell Paso is unbeaten in two career starts. Her winning debut came at Zia Park last fall. On Sunday she paid $35.00 to win and covered the distance in a fast 1:15.80.
Steve Asmussen’s Christina’s Comet finished second, beaten two and one-half lengths. The stakes placed filly raced as the 2-1 favorite. I’m Patriotic finished a distant third.
Memphis D Nasty took a shocking win in the $50,000 KOFX-Radio Handicap. The FDD Dynasty mare defeated Stick Shift SC by a neck and returned $74.40 to win. Jose Enrique Ortiz rode the 36-1 longshot to victory in the 350 yard feature for open Quarter Horses. Memphis D Nasty earned $30,000 for owner Esteban Sanchez Ruiz. The winning trainer is Mario Sanchez. 2014 All American Futurity winner Jm Miracle finished a non-threatening third.
2016 Jess Burner Memorial Handicap winner Seeyalateralligator put together another sparkling performance and won the $85,000 Dona Ana County Handicap at 440 yards. Under Salvador Martinez, Seeyalateralligator held off Jess Cruzin on By to win by a neck and score his 5th win from 18 starts. The Wes Giles trainee is a three-time stakes winner. He earned $51,000 for owners Ezra Elton Lee and Jason Giles. The winner caught the quarter mile distance in a fast 21.383 seconds, good for a 97 speed index. Teana Fay finished a solid third, beaten a half-length.
Live racing resumes on Tuesday with an all-Thoroughbred card. Post time is 12:45 p.m.
Photo courtesy of Coady Photography