Familiar foes meet again in La Coneja

Good Looker R F, Shezapirate, and Silver Expression, frequent rivals who finished a length apart in their most recent starts, will duke it out again Saturday in the $125,000 La Coneja at Sunland Park.

"They're pretty evenly matched," said Joel Marr, who trains Shezapirate.

Good Looker R F comes into the La Coneja, a 5 1/2-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies bred in New Mexico, off a neck win in the $151,000 New Mexico Cup Filly at six furlongs at Zia Park on Nov. 11. Shezapirate finished second in the race, while it was another three-quarters of a length back in third to Silver Expression.

Good Looker R F earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 85, the highest last-race number in the La Coneja - one point higher than Shezapirate's last Beyer. Both fillies have speed, which should serve them well as they shorten up a little in distance Saturday. Good Looker R F will break from post 3 under Ken Tohill.

Shezapirate drew the rail. She is returning to the distance of her biggest win, a 10 1/2-length victory in the $113,000 Rio Grande Senorita Futurity at Ruidoso Downs in July 2006. Following the race, Shezapirate was second by a head to Silver Expression in the Sierra Starlet at Ruidoso. Shezapirate races for Joe Allen, who also campaigns Peppers Pride, an undefeated New Mexico-bred filly who is 14 for 14. Both horses are by the stallion Desert God.

"She's kind of a speedier filly than Pepper," Marr said of Shezapirate. "She'll be forwardly placed."

Carlos Madeira has the mount on Shezapirate.

Silver Expression was favored in the New Mexico Cup Filly on the strength of a record that includes four stakes wins, one of them at the 5o1/2-furlong distance of the La Coneja. She is a closer, and figures to be coming late after both Good Looker R F and Shezapirate. Silver Expression drew post 6 in the field of six and will be ridden by Miguel Perez.