Forest Mouse may have last hurrah in Curribot

The first race at Arapahoe Park, on June 26, 2010, was won by Forest Mouse, a first-time starter who went off at 6-1 and has since gone on to become one of New Mexico’s most noted handicap horses. On Sunday, he may call it a career following a start in the $75,000 Curribot at Sunland Park.

Forest Mouse, a 10-year-old who has raced every year since his career debut in Colorado, is $2,693 from becoming a millionaire. If he hits the milestone by finishing between first through fourth Sunday, plans are to retire him to stud, trainer Henry Dominguez said Thursday.

Forest Mouse is the 121-pound second-highweight in the Curribot off a runner-up finish in an allowance Feb. 6 at Sunland. Dominguez, who has trained Forest Mouse since the 2012 running of the Curribot, has always wanted the honest, hard-trying horse to retire a millionaire. Forest Mouse is 26 for 65 overall.

“He’s earned that right,” Dominguez said.

Forest Mouse won three stakes last year at 9, including the Curribot, and in his one stakes appearance this year was third in the $65,000 Winsham Lad Handicap at Sunland. His first stakes win came in 2011 at Turf Paradise in the Tempe on turf for his original trainer, Mark Jensen. There have been 12 more stakes wins to date, including three runnings of the Winsham Lad at Sunland, the Sunland Park Handicap, the Zia Park Distance Championship, and two runnings of the SunRay Park and Casino Handicap.

“He just loves what he does,” Dominguez said. “He’s a hard campaigner. He’s always had to carry top weight, and it didn’t seem to faze him at all. He enjoys going out there and he enjoys the competition.

“He’s one of a kind.”

Dominguez said Forest Mouse, a son of Teton Forest bred by E.H. Beau Lane III and currently owned by Corey Johnson, was an “excellent miler.” He said the goal is to stand the horse at stud in New Mexico because the bulk of his earnings came in the state. Dominguez said it will be a sad day when the horse leaves Sunland.

“He’s been a big part of our barn – you always look forward to seeing him each morning,” Dominguez said.

The Curribot field of nine includes 122-pound highweight Blue Azul, who is going for his fourth straight win Sunday.