Copper Top Futurity closes out meet

Sunland Park will close out its meet Monday with a look to the future as the track puts on a pair of stakes for 2-year-olds before drawing the curtain on a season highlighted by Firing Line’s impressive win in the Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Derby.

The two stakes Monday are divisions of the Copper Top Futurity, both restricted to horses bred in New Mexico. Each race will be run over 4 1/2 furlongs, with fillies on deck in the seventh race and colts and geldings taking the stage in the ninth. Both races have a purse of $55,000.

Copper Top, fillies, race 7

KEY CONTENDERS

Shug’s Hope (Beyer: 49)

◗ She is the lone winner in the 10-horse field, capturing her debut in a maiden special weight for New Mexico-breds on March 21 at Sunland. She broke on top and was prominent throughout for a 1 3/4-length win over fellow Copper Top entrant Rapping Mary.

◗ Miguel Perez rode Shug’s Hope for trainer Barbara Brown and retains the mount.

◗ Shug’s Hope is by the Indian Charlie stallion Shame On Charlie, and she races for her breeders, Jerry and Sheree Cannon. Shug’s Hope is out of the mare Shug’s Midnight, who is a half-sister to five-time stakes winner Askmetodance, an earner of $396,716.

Rapping Mary (Beyer: 43)

◗ She was second to Shug’s Hope in her debut, setting the pace before being overtaken late.

◗ Enrique Gomez has the mount for trainer Henry Dominguez.

Ruby Ann Who (Beyer: 28)

◗ She was fifth in the same maiden special weight race as Shug’s Hope and Rapping Mary.

◗ Ruby Ann Who is a full sister to past Copper Top Futurity winner Dandy Don, an earner of $146,486.

Copper Top, males, race 9 KEY CONTENDERS

Funwayhome (Beyer 24)

◗ He got it right in his debut, rallying from off the pace for a neck win in a trial race March 21.

◗ Funwayhome broke from the widest gate in his debut but drew the rail for the Copper Top.

◗ Funwayhome is by the Giant’s Causeway stallion The Way Home. Funwayhome’s dam, Fun’ngames Toknite, was a multiple stakes winner of $165,223.

◗ Gomez has the mount for trainer Dominguez.

Seasalt N Vinegar (Beyer: 35)

◗ He was another debut winner, taking a trial March 21 at Sunland.

◗ Seasalt N Vinegar also rallied from off the pace in his debut, and the Beyer Speed Figure of 35 that he earned is the best career number in the Copper Top.