Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Two New Mexico-bred fillies, Iplaytricks and Charleston Bound, are among the nine 3-year-old fillies entered in Saturday's $40,000 Aspen Cup Stakes at Ruidoso Downs.
A homebred Desert God filly racing for Joe Allen and Michael Stinson and trained by Joel Marr, Iplaytricks drew post 3 in the 6-furlong sprint and will be ridden by Carlos Madeira. Iplaytricks has earned $98,040 from eight starts, and her five wins include the 1 1/16-mile, $100,000 New Mexico Breeders' Oaks (R) for state-bred fillies at Sunland Park on March 27.
Charleston Bound is a homebred daughter of the Affirmed stallion Night Fright racing for Mary Balch from the barn of Cliff Lambert. Charleston Bound has won two of 10 outs and has banked $61,490, of which $61,240 has been earned this year. The filly is coming off of a second-place finish against New Mexico-breds in the 5 1/2-furlong, $50,000 Sierra Starlet Handicap (R) at Ruidoso Downs on July 31.
Likely Aspen Cup favorite Squiggle drew post 5. The Kentucky-bred filly by the Mr Prospector stallion Pioneering is owned and trained by David Wolochuk, and she most recently ran second, a half of a length behind winner Paloma Mesa, in the 6 1/2-furlong, $50,000 Budweiser Allowance Stakes at SunRay Park on the Fourth of July.
All fillies in the Aspen Cup have been assigned to carry 120 pounds. The complete field, in post position order including jockey assignments – Toogie Stone (Vincente Grajeda), Lady For A Day (Larry Gamez), Iplaytricks (Carlos Madeira), Cassy Sue (Rodrigo Jaime), Squiggle (Alfredo Juarez Jr.), Charleston Bound (Casey Lambert), Pretty Wild Chick (Dusty Shepherd), R La Patrona (Enrique Gomez), and Mysterious Cargo (Miguel Perez).
Also at Ruidoso Downs on Saturday, entries will be drawn for the 440-yard All American Futurity (G1) trials on Thursday, August 18. The 10 fastest qualifiers will meet in the $2.4-million est. All American Futurity final on Labor Day, September 5.
Entries for the All American Derby (G1) trials on August 19 will be taken on Sunday.