Thursday, January 03, 2013
Fastest qualifier An Absolut Diamond has drawn post 4 for Saturday's 400-yard, $252,796 Shue Fly Stakes (RG2) for New Mexico-bred 3-year-olds at Sunland Park.
A homebred son of Ketel Won racing for Sandy Farris, Marc Jungers, and Lisa Farris McMinn, An Absolut Diamond is coming off of a half-length victory in the last of five Shue Fly trials on December 14. The gelding has earned $27,050 from five starts, and his two wins include a 1 3/4-length win in a 350-yard maiden sprint for state-breds at Zia Park on October 23.
An Absolut Diamond has won two of his three starts since moving to the barn of trainer Mike Joiner last fall. G.R. Carter Jr. will ride the gelding on Saturday.
Another Shue Fly contender from the Joiner barn, second-fastest qualifier Krazy Good, scored a half-length victory in the second trial. The homebred Ketel Won gelding has won two of three starts and has banked $24,710 for owners Robert and Barbara Bauer.
The complete lineup for the Shue Fly Stakes, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds – Jess Rueben James (Ricky Ramirez), 10-1; Jess Sue Me (Jesse Levario), 15-1; Taleas Liberty (Oscar Rincon), 20-1; An Absolut Diamond (G.R. Carter Jr.), 4-1; Coronas Hot Pink (Tanner Thedford), 8-1; One Blazin Kimbo (Esgar Ramirez), 4-1; Slew By You (Ramon Sanchez), 8-1; Fames Magic (Cody Jensen), 6-1; Runin Sixes (Jaime Leos), 5-1; and Krazy Good (Salvador Martinez), 7-2.
The history of the Shue Fly Stakes dates back to 1972, when John Augustine's Sherry's Rebel banked the winner's share of a $15,990 purse. Past winners of the stakes include Rabbits Rainbow (1999), Arealstraitheart (2005), and First Blazin Love ('12). P.K. Thomas' Lethal Delight holds the stakes record of :18.92, set in 2009.