Monday, July 11, 2011
BRT Opulence came off of an eight-month layoff to win the 870-yard, $85,000 New Mexico Horsemen's Association Handicap (R) at SunRay Park on Sunday.
Trained by Martin Orona Sr. for owner Rogelio Carrasco, BRT Opulence stopped the timer in :44.729, earning a 97 speed index and his third stakes victory, all of which have come at the 870 distance. The 7-year-old sorrel gelding was sent to post at odds of 5-1 and returned a $12.60 win mutuel.
“He broke sharp, but I didn't really ask him too much early,” said jockey Esgar Ramirez of BRT Opulence. “I asked him late down the stretch, and he really responded nicely.”
BRT Opulence was bred in New Mexico by Dr. Bob Story, Ryan Story, and Tyler Story. The gelding's sire, Real Runaway, is a winning son of the Beduino (TB) stallion Runaway Winner who raced in New Mexico, California, and Idaho from 1996-98 and ran third in AQHA champion Uncas' 1997 Los Alamitos Derby (G1).
BRT Opulence's dam, La Vita E Bella, is an unraced 12-year-old daughter of 1995 AQHA champion sophomore colt Meter Me Gone. His second dam, the On A High mare High Cotton Doll, was a finalist in Corona Chick's 1991 Dash For Cash Futurity (G1) at Los Alamitos.
All told, BRT Opulence has won nine of 32 starts, and the $51,000 winner's share of the New Mexico Horsemen's Association Handicap purse pushed his bankroll to $318,708. The gelding's stakes record includes victories in last year's New Mexico Horsemen's Association Handicap at SunRay and Zia 870 Championship (R) at Ruidoso Downs.
Bullets Brother ran second to complete a $2 exacta payoff of $75. South Oak, a 20-1 longshot, finished third, three lengths behind BRT Opulence, rounding out a ($2) trifecta return of $473.20.
Favorite Lalumbredelospateres, Heza Bold Color, Kokopellis Babycakes, Corona Dream, and Littlesouthernswing completed the order of finish.
Heza Bold Color was sent to post as the 2-1 second choice in the field of eight, but the 7-year-old Heza Bold Man gelding and 2010 Challenger Six Handicap (R) runner-up was forced to check about midway down the backstretch.
Bullets Brother is a 7-year-old Real Runaway gelding and one-time $10,000 claimer campaigned by trainer Martin Orona Sr. and his daughter Veronica O. Gonzalez. Bullets Brother has earned $312,851 from 34 outs, and his 11 victories include a neck score in a state-bred 870-yard allowance race at SunRay Park on June 12.
A homebred 6-year-old bay gelding by 2003 AQHA world champion Oak Tree Special, South Oak has banked $148,651 for his owners, Richard and Connie Snyder. South Oak ran fourth, 4 ½ lengths behind winner Littlesouthernswing, in last year's 870-yard, $140,000 New Mexico Cup 870 Championship (R) at Zia Park.