Let go at 5-1 odds, Wahene Version rolled to a commanding win in the $85,000 Sunburst Stakes at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino on Saturday.
With Edgar Martinez in the saddle, the former allowance winner jetted to the front midway home during the 350 yard feature, and never let up on the gas. The three-year-old New Mexico-bred filly by Winners Version was simply too fast for her rivals including the favored runner-up Woodys Copy Cat.
Wahene Version won by a half-length and covered the distance in a fast 17.04 seconds. She paid $12.40 to win. Beatriz Sanchez was the winning trainer.
Wahene Version picked up $51,000 for owner Erick Carrillo of Santa Fe, New Mexico. The victory was the first stakes triumph for the former $10,000 claimer. The 4-time winner now has earnings topping $100,000.
Woodys Copy Cat, the even money favorite, generated a mild surge in deep stretch but was no threat to the winner. Manuel Gutierrez rode the runner-up.
First Theory V finished close behind in third place followed by Vintage Vaquera.
McWend wins $85,000 Peppers Pride Handicap
McWend, fresh off a brilliant win in the $100,000 New Mexico Breeders’ Oaks on March 24, produced a huge run to fend off Hennessy Express by a head and win the $85,000 Peppers Pride Handicap at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino on Sunday.
Owned by Sunland Park’s leading owners Judge Lanier Racing, McWend returned two weeks after her first career stakes win and beat older New Mexico-bred mares going one mile in the 14th running of the Peppers Pride Handicap.
As per her normal tactics, the three-year-old home-bred filly by McKennas’s Justice launched her winning bid from well off the pace. Racing into the second turn, she and jockey Elvin Gonzalez made a huge run from a 4-wide position to take the lead into the stretch. She looked like a sure thing in upper stretch but still had to hold off a furious late rally from Hennessy Express in the final 100 yards.
McWend posted a nose victory at 9-2 odds and paid $11.00 to win. Miguel Hernandez is the winning trainer. The route loving filly earned $51,000 from her third career win and second straight stakes triumph. She covered the distance in a good 1:37.61. McWend has earned over $123,000 this season at Sunland Park.
Hennessy Express was valiant in defeat. Under jockey Roimes Chirinos, the 8-5 favorite threaded her way through much traffic and found her best strides in deep stretch to just miss in second place. Todd Fincher trained the runner-up.
McGlorious, a 28-1 longshot, finished third beaten one length.