Citizen Geller seeks third stakes win of 2017

Citizen Geller has something of a home-track advantage Sunday in the $85,000 Johnie L. Jamison Handicap at Sunland Park: He’s named for the announcer, Robert Geller.

“He’s a calling favorite for Robert,” trainer Justin Evans said. “You can always hear the emphasis in his voice when that horse hits the front.”

The Johnie L. Jamison, a 6 1/2-furlong race for 3-year-olds and up, is one of two New Mexico-bred stakes on the card. The program also includes the $85,000 New Mexico State Racing Commission Handicap for fillies and mares, with the field for the six-furlong race led by Diabolical Dame.

Citizen Geller is a multiple stakes winner who races for UKUSA Stables. He will be looking for his third win at Sunland, and his third stakes victory of the year.

“He was named for Robert Geller when he got his [U.S.] citizenship,” Evans said. “The folks with UKUSA are really close friends with Robert. This is a special horse for him.”

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Citizen Geller is the 123-pound highweight in a field of 12. He will break from post 9 one start after finishing second by a neck in the $170,000 New Mexico Cup Sprint on Oct. 29 at Zia. He rallied from six lengths back in the six-furlong race and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 82.

Evans said he was happy with Citizen Geller’s draw for the Jamison. Ry Eikleberry has the mount.

“The other day he was in the two hole,” Evans said, referring to the New Mexico Sprint Cup. “He ran into some traffic trouble, got shuffled back and it just gave him too much to do. He couldn’t overcome the trip. He ran a great race.”

Evans said he also likes the bit of added ground Citizen Geller will get in the Jamison.

“This horse really likes that six and half, seven furlongs,” Evans said. “It seems like a mile is just a little bit more than he wants to get and five and half might be a little shorter than he wants to run. Six and a half to seven-eighths fits that horse perfect.”

Evans wrapped up his sixth Zia training title Tuesday and is now bidding for a seventh title at Sunland.

Others set to start in the Jamison include Forger, winner of the New Mexico Cup Sprint, and Hute, winner of the $180,000 New Mexico Cup Classic.

Diabolical Dame is the 125-pound highweight in the New Mexico Racing Commission. She will be seeking her fourth straight stakes victory after reeling off wins in the Lincoln at Ruidoso in July; the Carlos Salazar at Albuquerque in August; and the New Mexico Cup Distaff in October at Zia.

Roimes Chirinos has the mount from post 9 for trainer Todd Fincher.

Trainer Bart Hone will be represented by the stakes winner My Bikini Fell Off. Hone is nearing 2,000 Thoroughbred training wins in North America and was sitting at 1,994 through Thursday.