Calamity Kate adds class to Zia Park Oaks

Calamity Kate was making her way to New Mexico on Friday for the $300,000 Zia Park Oaks. The 1 1/16-mile race is the centerpiece of the track’s third annual Land of Enchantment program on Wednesday. The card of eight stakes worth a total of $1.28 million also includes the $200,000 Zia Park Derby and the $150,000 Distance Championship.

Calamity Kate, the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks winner and runner-up in the Grade 1 Cotillion at Parx, was flying in and by midmorning Friday had touched down in Memphis, Tenn., according to trainer Kelly Breen. After a layover, she was to continue on to Zia, where she was expected to arrive later Friday. Calamity Kate will be ridden by Edgar Prado.

Prado also has the mount on Mobile Bay in the Zia Park Derby. Mobile Bay, who won the Super Derby at Louisiana Downs, will face International Star, who captured the Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds.

The Zia Park Distance Championship, at 1 1/8 miles, drew Del Mar stakes winner Point Piper from the barn of trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.

The Land of Enchantment card was originally created to showcase the Zia Park Oaks, and it has developed into the most important program of the meet for Zia, located in Hobbs, N.M.

“We had our No. 1 and No. 2 handles in the history of Zia with the first two runnings,” said Fred Hutton, the track’s director of racing. “It’s a very good card this year. The Zia Park Derby came up deep in talent, with a lot of graded horses, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the Zia Park Oaks. Calamity Kate last minute, that was the icing on the cake.”

Hutton expanded the program this year to include the $100,000 Zia Park Sprint. It has lured some of the top New Mexico-based sprinters in Wine Police, Dirt Monster, and Alsono as well as a notable Southern California shipper in Oligarch.

“It’s a very balanced field,” said Hutton.

The Zia Park Oaks and Derby will be spotlighted on TVG, said Hutton, and there will be race coverage on the Horse Racing Radio Network. The card complements a Wednesday night program of stakes at Zia’s sister track, Penn National.

“It’s a great day,” Hutton said. “Everybody’s off on the day before Thanksgiving.”

The stakes close out the Penn Gaming Racing Challenge.

The forecast for Wednesday at Zia is for partly cloudy skies and a high of 72 degrees, according to The Weather Channel. There is a 20 percent chance of rain. First post for the 11-race program is 12:15 p.m. Mountain.