A field of eight New Mexico-bred quarter horses will line up for the $60,000 Jimmy Drake Stakes, the featured event on a strong program of racing this Friday at SunRay Park and Casino.
Major Bites, last year's champion older horse or gelding as voted on by the New Mexico Horse Breeders' Association, has been installed as the 5-to-2 morning line choice for the 400-yard dash, which goes as the ninth race on a 10-race program with a first post time of 3 p.m. MTN.
Owned by Israel Bordier and trained by Jimmy Guerra, the multiple-stakes winning son of Jesse James Jr will be looking for his first win in three starts at SunRay Park. The 6-year-old gelding comes off an impressive win last time out in the Mesilla Valley Speed Handicap at Sunland Park last March, a race he won last year as well.
Major Bites has earned more than $771,000 while winning 11 times from 29 career starts, including five wins from seven starts in 2018, most notably the Zia Park Championship and the New Mexico Classic Cup Championship.
Flavio Lozano will be on board Major Bites, breaking from post 5 in the Drake Stakes.
Drawn just to his inside is the highly regarded Magnifico Dragon. Trained by Cynthia Gonzalez for owner Daniel Balderrama, the son of Zulu Dragon has a win over the local course on May 10 and will be reunited with jockey Mauro Salcedo, who was aboard that day.
Magnifico Dragon is a nine-time winner with earnings topping $406,000. He is the second choice on the morning line at odds of 3-to-1.
Gonzalez will also be represented in the Drake by another reigning champion.
Mamacita Cartel, voted as last year's champion older mare, is the 7-to-2 third choice in the sprint. The Big Daddy Cartel mare was a close second last December in the Lou Wooten & Sydney Valentini Stakes at Sunland Park when she last raced in December. She posted a minor upset when she won this race last year.
Mamcita Cartel, owned by David Bloomer, won five times from eight starts in 2018, including a clear victory in the New Mexico Filly and Mare Championship. She has amassed earnings of $264,000 in her career. She will be piloted by Albert Medrano, breaking from post 7.
Post time for the Jimmy Drake Stakes is scheduled for 6:12 p.m. MTN.
Photos courtesy Coady Photography