Friday, September 17, 2010
A full field of 10 sprinters will face off in Saturday’s 350-yard, $55,000 James Isaac Hobbs Stakes (G2) at Zia Park.
The James Isaac Hobbs is one of three stakes races scheduled for New Mexico tracks this weekend. The others, Saturday’s 6 ½-furlong, $30,000 Fair Queen Stakes, and Sunday’s 400-yard, $30,000 La Mariposa Stakes (G3), will be contested during the New Mexico State Fair meet at The Downs at Albuquerque.
Maria G. Gonzalez’s Jess Dellaree is the 3-1 morning-line favorite for the James Isaac Hobbs, the first Quarter Horse stakes for Zia Park’s 53-day season. A 5-year-old gelding by the late Feature Mr Jess, Jess Dellaree hasn’t raced since June 13, when he won the Grade 2, 400-yard La Plata Stakes at SunRay Park. He also ran second, a head behind Rylees Boy, in the 440-yard Bank of America New Mexico Challenge Championship (G1) at Sunland Park on April 11.
Jess Dellaree’s nine opponents include Rosa M. Guevara’s Strike It Quick, a 4-year-old Royal Quick Dash gelding who ran second in the 350-yard Higheasterjet Handicap (G3) at Ruidoso Downs on July 3, and Maribel Tovar’s Double Out, a 4-year-old gelding by Check Him Out coming off of a third-place finish in the 440-yard, $40,000 All American Gold Cup (G3) at Ruidoso Downs on September 5.
The complete lineup for the James Isaac Hobbs stakes, in post position order including jockey and weight assignments and morning-line odds – Special Highnoon (Jose Montoya, 126), 20-1; Double Out (Esgar Ramirez, 126), 9-2; Jess Dellaree (Alejandro Medellin, 126), 3-1; Kuhl Little Man (Jeremy Garcia, 124), 8-1; Executive Looks (David Pinon, 126), 12-1; Anywhere Bully (Oscar Rincon, 126), 6-1; Bannow Bay (Jesse Levario, 126), 15-1; Strike It Quick (Freddie Martinez, 126), 7-2; Dashin Tres (Jacky Martin, 126), 8-1; and Naruto (Jose Alvarez, 126), 10-1.
Saturday’s Fair Queen Stakes at Albuquerque has drawn a field of 10 3-year-old fillies. Facil Catana, a bay daughter of Untuttable racing for Lathrop G. Hoffman, drew post 2 and is the 5-2 morning-line favorite. Facil Catana has won three of her last four races, including the July 4, 6 ½-furlong Frontier Trophy Buckles Allowance Stakes at SunRay Park. She also ran third, 8 ½ lengths behind winner Queen Greeley, in the 1-mile, $50,000 Island Fashion Stakes at Sunland Park on February 28.
The complete lineup for the Fair Queen Stakes, in post position order including jockey and weight assignments and morning-line odds – Unloch The Fury (Ken Tohill, 121), 4-1; Facil Catana (Ricardo Jaime, 123), 5-2; Badgett’s Royal (Miguel Perez, 120), 3-1; Snickel Fitz (Perry Whetstone, 117), 20-1; Chabelita (Oscar Ceballos, 117), 20-1; Affair Trade (David Essman, 117), 12-1; Military Mother (Don Frazier, 119), 6-1; Amber Got Even (Jorge Luis Gonzalez, 118), 8-1; Sweep The Road (Alfredo Juarez, 118), 12-1; and Mile High Honey (Adrian Ramos, 118), 12-1.
Shez Mighty Pfind, a 6-year-old mare by Heza Bold Man owned and trained by Raymond Valerio of Belen, New Mexico, is 126-pound high weight and 8-5 morning-line favorite for the La Mariposa. The winner of last year’s La Mariposa, Shez Mighty Pfind has earned $156,339 from 39 races, and she is coming off of a 1 ¼-length victory in a 350-yard allowance-optional claiming sprint at Albuquerque on August 29.
The complete lineup for the La Mariposa, in post position order including jockey and weight assignments and morning-line odds – Baby La Jolla (Roberto Valero, 123), 10-1; Seven Coronas (Brian Theriot, 122), 20-1; Walkin Thru Fire (Porfirio Cano, 121), 15-1; Blushing Daisy (David Essman, 123), 7-2; Shez Mighty Pfind (Oscar Rincon, 126), 8-5; Flicka De Fly (Alonso Rivera, 123), 10-1; Corona For You (Alejandro Luna, 123), 4-1; and Anywhere Chic (Doug Brinlee, 123), 4-1.