African Rose returns to best distance for Albuquerque Distaff

African Rose will be returning to a mile Saturday for the $55,000 Albuquerque Distaff Handicap. The last time she raced at the distance, she accomplished a notable New Mexico racing feat, winning the $100,000 Harry Henson Handicap on the Sunland Park Derby undercard in March for the third straight year.

The 6-year-old African Rose is among eight fillies and mares in the Albuquerque Distaff. Others set to start include defending champ Lady Contender, Group 2 winner Zilber, and multiple stakes winner Belleofthebeach.

Albuquerque Distaff, race 9

KEY CONTENDERS

African Rose (Last 3 Beyers: 61-78-58)

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◗ She makes the sprint-to-route move off a third-place finish in the $50,000 Czaria at six furlongs April 11 at Sunland, and the last time she went from six furlongs to a mile, she won the Harry Henson.

◗ African Rose is a five-time stakes winner who has won 14 of 34 starts overall and $423,656.

◗ Judge Lanier Racing owns African Rose, who is trained by Justin Evans.

◗ African Rose figures to show speed from her rail post and is a candidate to wire the field under Alfredo Juarez Jr.

Lady Contender (Last 3 Beyers: 60-68-68)

◗ She is the 124-pound highweight off back-to-back stakes wins at Fonner Park, among them the $25,000 Ali Swihart Memorial for the second year in a row April 18.

◗ Lady Contender won last year’s Albuquerque Distaff by a half-length over African Rose.

Zilber (Last 3 Beyers: 68-71-69)

◗ She was a multiple Group 2 winner in her native Brazil before landing in Southern California.

◗ Zilber enters off a fifth-place finish in the $92,000 Paseana on Jan. 11 at Santa Anita.

◗ She shares a name with the late, famed trainer Maurice Zilber, whose standouts included the first female millionaire, Dahlia.