Cape of Branford looks fastest of them all

There is no shortage of speed Saturday in the $50,000 Budweiser at Sunland Park. The five-furlong race for 3-year-olds and up has drawn five potential front-runners in the field of eight. But the speed of the speed could be the race's lone female starter, the mare Cape of Bradford.

She will break from the rail, one start after setting the pace and holding second in the $50,000 Bold Ego at Sunland Park on Dec. 27. Cape of Bradford ran the opening quarter of that 5 1/2-furlong stakes for fillies and mares in 21.80 seconds, and proceeded to lead through a half-mile in 44.60 and five furlongs in 57. She finished a length behind the winner, Stealth Cat.

Ken Tohill has the mount on Cape of Bradford, who is owned by Frontier Stable and trained by Chris Hartman.

Other speed in the race includes Happy Humor, although he is cutting back from a rare two-turn start in the $50,000 Winsham Lad at Sunland. Sky Jedi could also show speed off a front-running allowance win at Sunland on Jan. 17, while Loves Bonus is "stretching out" in distance after racing against Quarter Horses in an 870-yard allowance at Sunland on Jan. 10.

Retap, a reliable closer, can take full advantage if the pace is too hot. He is a stakes winner at Sunland, and missed by a neck in a Jan. 12 allowance at the track in his most recent start. The race was his first out since winning a Remington allowance in November.

Luis Contreras has the mount for trainer Steve Asmussen.