Monday, December 20, 2010
Sent to post at odds of 20-1, Alvaro Castro’s Canadian Mash won Saturday’s 870-yard, $120,000 Challenger Six Handicap (R) for New Mexico-breds at Sunland Park.
Canadian Mash broke sharply from post 1 and let at every call en route to a 1 ½-length victory over 17-10 favorite Heza Bold Color. Covering the distance in :45.028, he earned an 88 speed index. Salvador Martinez rode the sorrel 5-year-old gelding by Lazy A Dasher for trainer Hermenegildo “Poppy” Aldavaz.
Canadian Mash was bred by Richard and Lana Mobley, and the gelding became the first stakes winner from 45 starters sired by Lazy A Dasher, a winning 19-year-old stallion by the Easy Six stallion Streakin Six and a half brother to two-time Grade 1 winner Shawnes Diamond in 2005 New Mexico State Fair Breeders’ Derby (RG3) winner Hi Beamer. To date, Lazy A Dasher has sired the earners of more than $621,300 from 13 crops.
Canadian Mash is also one of four winners from as many starters foaled by his dam, the winning In Totality (TB) mare Candia Mist (TB). His second dam, the winning Rocket Bar (TB) mare Candy Rocket (TB) produced the late Maskeo Rocket, a colt by Maskeo Lad who won the 1981 Shue Fly Stakes at Sunland Park and was a finalist in that season’s $273,532 Sun Country Futurity.
All told, Canadian Mash has won four of 17 races, and the $72,000 winner’s share of the Challenger Six purse increased his earnings to $150,021. The gelding was coming off of a second-place finish in an 870-yard allowance-optional claiming race at Zia Park on November 22.
Whata Lucky Man ran third and was followed by Bullets Brother, Famous Uncledavid, South Oak, Key’s Band (TB), and Littlesouthernswing.
Heza Bold Color earned $26,400 to push his earnings to $232,202 for his owner, Maria G. Gonzalez of Edgewood, New Mexico. The 6-year-old Heza Bold Man gelding has won eight of 33 races, and he was coming off of a second-place finish in the 870-yard, $148,230 New Mexico Cup 870 Championship (R) at Zia Park on October 31.
A stakes-winning 8-year-old Fast Debonair gelding owned and trained by Rene Saucedo, Whata Lucky Man has earned $257,037 from seven wins in 63 outs. Whata Lucky Man was claimed by Saucedo for $12,500 at Sunland Park on December 27, 2009, and the gelding’s stakes resume includes a third-place finish against open company in the 870-yard King Rick Rack Stakes (G2) at Zia Park on November 21. He also was the New Mexico region’s high-point claiming horse in 2009.