In the 25th running of the La Senora Stakes, Country Club Crush secured her second career stakes victory, holding off a late charge to win the six-furlong race by a half-length.
Source: Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino
Photos: Courtesy Coady Media (Cover: “Country Club Crush”)
Two $80,000 stakes races highlighted Monday’s card at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino, with Country Club Crush and Speed Merchant delivering winning performances in the La Senora Stakes and Corralito Steak House Stakes, respectively.
In the 25th running of the La Senora Stakes, Country Club Crush secured her second career stakes victory, holding off a late charge to win the six-furlong race by a half-length. Ridden by Miguel Fuentes Jr., the New Mexico-bred filly settled into the middle of the pack early before advancing between rivals on the far turn. Turning for home, she took a narrow lead and found enough late to withstand a determined rally from I Am Paula Revere, with Mark’s Sassy Girl finishing third.
Country Club Crush photo courtesy Coady Media.
Owned by Barbara and Jay Barton and trained by Dallas Barton, Country Club Crush completed the distance in 1:10.69. The victory followed a recent third-place finish in the Lea County Stakes at Zia Park and added to an already strong résumé that includes a win in the New Mexico Classic Lassie Stakes last fall. She now has three wins from five career starts and career earnings exceeding $185,000.
Photo Courtesy Coady Media
The Corralito Steak House Stakes, also contested at six furlongs, saw Speed Merchant continue his impressive run, earning his third stakes victory in just six career starts. Under jockey Luis Valenzuela, the colt tracked the early pace before taking control around the far turn and holding firm in the stretch to win by a half-length. Cash Waterfall closed strongly to finish second, followed by Buy Local in third.
Photo: Speed Merchant courtesy Coady Media
Trained by Todd Fincher for Dale F. Taylor Racing, LLC, Speed Merchant stopped the clock in 1:10.44. The New Mexico-bred son of Marking has now won five of six starts, adding Monday’s victory to earlier stakes wins in the Hobbs Fall Classic at Zia Park and the New Mexico State Fair Thoroughbred Futurity at Albuquerque Downs. His career earnings now surpass $315,000.
Photo: Courtesy Coady Media
Fincher’s barn was especially prominent in the Corralito Steak House Stakes, accounting for the top three finishers. The trainer continues to pace the meet’s stakes action, having already saddled multiple stakes winners this season at Sunland Park.
Live racing resumes Friday at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino. First post time is 12:25 p.m., with quarter horse racing featured on Fridays and Saturdays and thoroughbred racing on Sundays and Mondays during the 55-day season.
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