Saturday, June 18, 2011
One of two New Mexico-bred 3-year-olds in the seven horse field, Mostly Dust led at every call en route to a half-length victory in Saturday's $40,000 Norgor Thoroughbred Derby at Ruidoso Downs.
Mostly Dust covered 6 furlongs in 1:11.69 after setting fractions of :22.35, :44.62, and :57.49. Larry Gamez rode the homebred gray or roan Dry Gulch gelding for owners Larry Teague and Harry Teague and trainer Weston Martin.
Mostly Dust's sire, Dry Gulch, is a 21-year-old son of the Mr. Prospector stallion and 1988 Breeders' Cup Sprint Stakes (G1) winner Gulch. Racing primarily in California from 1992-96, Dry Gulch earned $66,550 from four wins in 35 starts, and the stallion's 24 starters have earned more than $2.4 million and include two blacktype winners. He stands at Johnathan Lemons' Lemons Farm in Hobbs, New Mexico.
Mostly Dust's dam, Lucerna, is a winning 15-year-old daughter of the Crafty Prospector stallion Prospector's Gamble. The gelding's third dam, the Jig Time mare Stellana, was a stakes winner during her racing career in Florida, which spanned from 1984-87.
Campaigned exclusively in New Mexico, Mostly Dust has won three of seven races, and the $24,000 winner's share of the Norgor Derby purse increased his bankroll to $64,940. The gelding was making his first start since April 19, closing day of the Sunland Park 2010-11 meet, when he scored a wire-to-wire, 2 ¾-length win at 5 ½ furlongs against state-bred entry-level allowance company.
The Norgor Derby honors the memory of the horse by the same name, who won 28 races in New Mexico from 1969-78.
Mostly Dust was sent to post at odds of 7-1 and combined with runner-up and 8-5 favorite Shigeo for a $48.60 ($2) exacta return. Mi Domscat, a 9-1 longshot and the other New Mexico-bred runner in the race, ran third, 2 ½ lengths behind Mostly Dust, to complete a $394.80 ($2) trifecta.
Southern Heat Wave, Sugarintheevening, Trustee Tom and Roarin' Bayou completed the order of finish.
A homebred Grey Memo gelding racing for Walter Oshiro, Shigeo has won three of seven races and has earned $55,545. His stakes resume includes a second-place finish in the 6-furlong, $50,000 KHEY-Y96 Sprint Stakes at Sunland Park on April 19.
Mi Domscat has banked $50,390 from eight outs for his owners, Double Kee LLC and Grissom Racing Inc. The bay gelding by the Storm Cat stallion Dominique's Cat was coming off of a 6-furlong state-bred allowance victory at Sunland on March 27.