Exit West's Beyer Figure stands out in Permian Basin

A pair of fillies who recently defeated males will return to racing in their own division Tuesday in the $55,000 Permian Basin at Zia Park.

The race is one of two stakes for 2-year-olds on the card. The $55,000 Governor’s Cup has drawn a stakes winner from Colorado and a multiple-stakes-placed runner from Louisiana.

The Permian Basin and Governor’s Cup are the meet’s richest open-company offerings for 2-year-olds. Both races are to be run at six furlongs.

Exit West should start as the favorite in the Permian Basin after she dominated males in a first-level allowance at Remington Park on Sept. 4. The Beyer Speed Figure of 76 that she earned is the best career number in the Permian Basin. Skim the Rail has won over males in her last two starts, with her latest score coming in the $50,000 Manzano at the Downs at Albuquerque.

Permian Basin (Race 11)

KEY CONTENDERS

Exit West (Beyers: 76-65)

◗ Undefeated in two starts, she launched her career at Lone Star Park with a 5 1/4-length win in maiden special weight July 4. One start later, she rolled by 5 3/4 lengths in the allowance at Remington, covering 5 1/2 furlongs in a quick 1:03.40.

◗ Exit West defeated a strong group of males, including Supermason, a maiden winner at Lone Star who started as one of the favorites in Lone Star’s $100,000 Texas Thoroughbred Association Sales Futurity, and Forge Ahead Franki, who is to run earlier on the Zia card in the Governor’s Cup.

◗ Exit West races for her breeder, Keith Asmussen, and his son, trainer Steve Asmussen.

◗ She is a daughter of the Gone West stallion Intimidator.

◗ Casey Lambert has the mount on Exit West, a threat to wire the field.

Skim the Rail (Last 3 Beyers: 47-45-35)

◗ She won her maiden over males in her second start Aug. 17, when she wired a maiden special weight field by 2 1/2 lengths at Albuquerque. She faced the boys again in the Manzano, and was up for a neck win while covering six furlongs in 1:10.80.

◗ Skim the Rail, a daughter of Latent Heat, could get a stalking trip behind Exit West, Colinda Dawn and perhaps Cat Trap.

◗ Elvin Gonzalez has the mount for Jeff Plotkin and trainer Justin Evans. Evans will also send out Rousanne, the third-place finisher in the $108,000 Debutante at Churchill in June.

A Wild Notion (Last 3 Beyers: 63-58-57)

◗ January foal ran second in the $75,000 Prairie Gold Lassie at Prairie Meadows in July.

◗ She is one of just two in the field with a win over the main track at Zia, the other being Brokeanlovingit.

◗ A Wild Notion is a half-sister to Lockout, a stakes winner who earned $392,117.

Governor’s Cup (Race 7)

KEY CONTENDERS:

Sky T (Last 3 Beyers: 25-52-54)

◗ He was one of the top 2-year-olds to come out of the Arapahoe Park meet, having won his debut by 13 lengths and then the $48,000 Colorado Thoroughbred Association Futurity by 9 1/4 lengths.

Smudge (Last 3 Beyers: 62-57-71)

◗ He appears to be a chief player after missing by a neck in the $100,000 D.S. “Shine” Young Futurity at Evangeline Downs and running third in the $50,000 Louisiana Cup Juvenile at Louisiana Downs.

Forge Ahead Franki (Last 3 Beyers: 58-65-25)

◗ He comes off a third-place finish in a Remington allowance won by Exit West, probable favorite in the Permian Basin.

◗ He is a half-brother to Tiger Belle, a stakes winner of $311,964, and D’nied Permission, a stakes winner at 2.