Devious Ways takes Bold Ego

Sunland Park, N. M. - Favored Devious Ways stalked a blistering early pace from her outside post, made a five wide bid late on the turn and drew clear in the final furlong to win Saturday's $50,000-added Bold Ego Handicap at Sunland Park. Devious Ways, owned by trainer Todd Fincher in partnership with Brad King, has enough early speed to have been part of the early fray that went through fractions of 21.98 and 44.78, but jockey Luis Quinonez wisely settled just off those rivals, allowing them to use themselves up before asking his mount for more run. Devious Ways stopped the timer in 1:02.88, just one-fifth of a second off the thirty-year-old track standard for five and one-half furlongs.

Devious Ways, a Devious Course filly bred in Texas by A T M Investments, was making her second start of the meet after a three month layoff following a successful summer at Ruidoso. With the Bold Ego win, her first start as a four-year-old, Devious Ways established herself as the top sprinter in the local filly and mare division. She earned $32,520 to put her career total over the $100,000 mark at $103,268 based on a 16-6-3-1 lifetime record.

Longshot Waveband, part of the early pace, hung on for second, making for some attractive gimmick prices of $50.60 for the $1 exacta and $791.80 on a $2 Trifecta. Hava Peer got up for third after encountering traffic problems in the stretch.