D E Happy Hour in stakes

D E Happy Hour looks like he might be a nice addition to the 3-year-old New Mexico-bred ranks. He has won both of his starts by clear margins and on Saturday will try stakes rivals for the first time in the $125,000 Pepsi Cola at Sunland Park.

The six-furlong race for statebreds drew a field of 11.

D E Happy Hour was a debut winner at Sunland on Dec. 18, cruising to a five-length win to earn a Beyer Figure of 70. One start later, he cleared his first-level allowance condition, winning by more than two lengths at Sunland on Jan. 9. The Beyer Speed Figure of 71 that he earned is the co-highest last-race rating in the field Saturday.

"He's really a nice colt," said Chip Woolley, who trains D E Happy Hour for Double Eagle Ranch. "His numbers have been pretty good. He looks like he fits pretty well into this group.

"The real concern is that this is going to be his third race in five weeks. But it's hard to pass up a stakes when, really, there's nothing else on the horizon for him at this point. He is training super, doing really good. We're tickled with the horse."

Adding to D E Happy Hour's appeal is his ability to stalk and pounce. He will break from post 4 under Luis Contreras.

Others in the Pepsi Cola field include stakes winners Train Rider Blues, Huntin the Trash, Chuchuluco, and Rig's Runner.