Stakes Doubleheader Headline Sunland Program

Exactly 365 days have passed since the connections of My Bikini Fell Off were celebrating her victory in the Peppers Pride Handicap at Sunland Park.

The Bart Hone trainee has gone to post six times in the interim, and has yet to repeat that score.

The 7-year-old Elusive Jazz mare will attempt to end her losing streak and defend her title when she heads to the track as the 4-to-1 second choice on the morning line in Sunday's co-main event, the $85,000 Peppers Pride Handicap, the ninth of a solid 10-race program.

Owned by Brian Mundell, My Bikini Fell Off has earned quite a reputation at Sunland Park, winning seven times from 19 starts over the oval. In fact, all but one of her eight career victories have come at Sunland Park.

Consecutive losses in each of her last six starts have put a little blemish on the hard-hitting racehorse. She has finished second 10 times in her 30-race career, but only once during this current losing streak. She was off the board in her most recent start, an optional claiming route which may well be the worst race in her entire career.

Sent off as the even-money favorite in that race, My Bikini Fell Off showed little of her early speed and wound up beating only one rival, finishing seventh under Ry Eikleberry, who opts to pilot her once again in the 9-horse field.

My Bikini Fell Off will break from post 7 in the 1-mile Peppers Pride, which as a scheduled post time of 3:50pm MTN.

Just to her inside is Sippin, the lukewarm morning line favorite at odds of 7-to-2.

Though possessing only 13 lifetime starts, the 4-year-old daughter of Swissle Stick has won seven times, including both the Enchantress and La Senora Stakes last year at Sunland Park. 

Much like her neighbor in the starting gate, Sippin has also gone a long time between drinks in the winners circle. Trained by Todd Fincher for owner R D Hubbard, Sippin hasn't tasted victory since the Enchatress Stakes nearly 13 months ago.

With career earnings topping $357,000, Sippin is coming off a second-place finish in the same race as My Bikini Fell Off, just missing by a head to Sunday Rose, who sprang an 11-to-1 upset in that contest on Jan. 28.

Sippin will once again be ridden by Roimes Chirinos and figures to be sitting on or near the lead from the opening of the gate.    

Coming back off an upset score last time out, Simon Buechler-trained Sunday Rose is looking for back-to-back victories. 

The New Mexico-bred mare by Fusaichi Zenon had finished off the board in five straight races prior to her narrow win last out, the fourth win of her 21-race career.

She will be ridden again by Casey Chavez from post five and has been listed as the co-third choice on the morning line at odds of 5-to-1. 

Joining Sunday Rose at that asking price is One Foxy Babe, who narrowly missed in her most recent start for trainer Adam Archuleta and jockey Aldo Arboleda. 

The statebred daughter of Vulcan's Pulpit has been in the money in each of her last three starts and shows three career wins from 17 trips to the post. One Foxy Babe drew post two in the Peppers Pride Handicap. 

For a complete list of entries for the Peppers Pride Handicap, click here.

'Passion gets chance to dominate state-breds

RC Racing LLC's A Passion for Flashn spent the better part of 2017 dominating his rivals as one of the top 2-year-olds in the state of New Mexico.

With a powerful score at Zia Park in the New Mexico Classic Futurity last October, the son of First Moonflash seemed to be well on his way to bigger and better things.

His next two starts, facing open company in the Southwest Juvenile Championship at Zia, followed by the Sunland Winter Juvenile Invitational, both resulted in off-the-board performances.

Back in with New Mexico-breds, the Martin Orona-trained colt will head to the gate as the 3-to-1 morning line favorite in the $85,000 New Mexico Horse Breeders Association Stakes, the tenth and final race on the Sunday card.

Jose Enriquez will be aboard A Passion for Flashn and they will break from post 10 in the 400-yard event worth a purse of $85,000. 

A Passion for Flashn is winless in three starts at Sunland Park, while second choice on the morning line Daddys Blushing has hit the board in each of his two starts over the course, including a good effort last out, finishing second in the Grade 3 Shuefly Stakes for trainer Jackie Riddle. 

The 3-year-old gelded son of Big Daddy Cartel has never finished worse than third in each of his seven career starts. He won his trial for the Shuefly two starts back, but came up less than a length short to another of his rivals in today's heat, Everybuddys Talkin.

Daddys Blushing will break from post five with Francisco Calderon aboard and is listed at 4-to-1 on the morning line. Everybuddys Talkin, who not only won the Shuefly but also picked up his first career win in the process, will break from post three and is the co-fourth choice on the track's official morning at odds of 6-to-1 under jockey Raul Herrera for trainer Ricardo Armendariz.

Post time for the NMHBA Stakes is scheduled for 4:15 p.m. (MTN)

For entries and post position information on the NMHBA Stakes, click here.


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