Enchanted Outlaw greatly improved

Enchanted Outlaw was beaten for a claiming price of $5,000 on two occasions last meet at Sunland Park. But since then, he has made a lot happen. So much, in fact, that Enchanted Outlaw is the 123-pound highweight Sunday in the $100,000 Albert Dominguez Memorial Handicap at Sunland.

A full field of 12 will go in the Dominguez Memorial, a 1 1/16-mile race restricted to 4-year-olds and up bred in New Mexico.

Enchanted Outlaw established himself as one of the top New Mexico-breds in training in November, when he rolled home by more than eight lengths in the $191,000 New Mexico Cup Classic at a mile at Zia Park. The Dominguez Memorial will be his first start since that race, after his connections decided to pass on the $125,000 Johnie L. Jamison at 6 1/2 furlongs at Sunland in December.

"It would be hard to throw two big races that close together," said Todd Fincher, who trains Enchanted Outlaw. "I didn't want to wheel him back too quick, and [sprint] after knowing he likes the two turns better. I don't know if I made the right move or not. He's trained perfect. He's doing excellent."

Enchanted Outlaw's defeats in the $5,000 conditioned claiming races last meet both came at sprint distances. He has stepped up his game considerably since he began racing around two turns on a regular basis this fall, taking a $10,000 claimer at a mile at Zia on Sept. 13 with a career-best Beyer Figure of 84, then a first-level allowance at the same distance at the track on Oct. 13. Enchanted Outlaw moved into the stakes ranks one start later, and dominated the New Mexico Cup Classic on Nov. 8, matching his best Beyer.

Sunday, the 5-year-old Enchanted Outlaw will break from post 8 as he seeks his fourth straight win.

Enchanted Outlaw, to be ridden by A.J. Juarez Jr., might get a tracking trip behind Fullofenergy, the favorite in the New Mexico Cup Classic who was a front-running stakes winner in July, as well as sprint-to-route prospects Double Smart and Ocean Joe.

The field also includes Some Ghost, a multiple stakes winner who is 10 for 31 at Sunland, and Cattleman Prospect, who in his last start won the Johnie Jamison.