Coming off a romping win last month in the Sunburst Stakes, Erick Gutierrrez-Carrillo's Wahene Version is seeking back-to-back stakes triumphs when she loads into the starting gate as the likely favorite in the $60,000-guaranteed New Mexico Breeders' Stakes at SunRay Park and Casino.
Trained by Beatriz Sanchez-Carrillo and slated to be ridden once again by Edgar Martinez, the 3-year-old filly by Winners Version has won four of her last six starts, including her most recent score in the Sunburst Stakes at Sunland Park. She has topped $100,000 in lifetime earnings and will be looking for her third straight win when she breaks from the 2 post in the 7-horse field as the 5-to-2 morning line favorite.
The NM Breeders' Stakes will go as the 8th race on a 9-race card, with a scheduled post time of 5:48 p.m. local time.
Hoping to post a bit of a mild upset will be CD Flash And Fame, who will break from the far outside under jockey Paul Garcia.
Unraced since a narrow loss last time out in the NM Horseman's and Breeders' Stakes at Sunland on Feb. 16, the 3-year-old colt by First Moonflash is a 2-time winner from 7 starts. Trained by Jimmy Guerra for owner German Amaya, CD Flash And Fame has been installed at 6-to-1 on the morning line, but has been close in both of his attempts at today's distance of 400 yards.
Vintage Vaquera was beaten just a length behind Wahene Version when they last met in the Sunburst Stakes. Owned by Diamond Racing Stables and trained by Jose Luis Muela, the 3-year-old filly by Big Daddy Cartel was off the board in her only other stakes try. She is a 2-time winner from 9 lifetime starts and will break from post 5 in the starting gate under jockey Esgar Ramirez as the 3-to-1 second choice.
First post time for the Friday card is 3 p.m. Weekend racing at SunRay also features trials for both the New Mexico Breeders' Futurity on Saturday, followed by Sunday's trials for the Four Corners Futurity. Saturday also will be live simulcasting of the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes, the second jewel of thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown, live from Pimlico in Baltimore.
Photo courtesy of Coady Photography