Hone has two shots for 100th stakes

Trainer Bart Hone has the competition surrounded Saturday in the $40,000 Aspen Cup for 3-year-old fillies at Ruidoso Downs. He has two starters in the five-horse field, with Pick Me Up to break from the rail and Badgett's Royal settled in gate 5.

If either wins the six-furlong race, Hone will earn his 100th career stakes win.

Pick Me Up has the speed to hold her position from the rail in the Aspen Cup. She also owns the field's best career Beyer Figure, a 72, which she earned back in February at Sunland Park when she won her debut. Pick Me Up has raced once more since, finishing second in a first-level allowance in March, also at Sunland. The race went in a quick 1:10.20 for six furlongs. Mark Villa has the mount.

Badgett's Royal, who started her career at Golden Gate Fields, was a maiden winner May 1 at SunRay Park. Juan Ochoa has the mount.

The chief threat to the Hone trainees, who will race as separate interests, appears to be If I Had a Bull. She will be making her first start against open company after a series of solid efforts against New Mexico-breds, including a fourth-place finish in the $100,000 New Mexico Breeders' Oaks at Sunland on March 28.

If I Had a Bull is the highest earner in the Aspen Cup field with a bankroll of $44,794. Carlos Madeira has the mount for trainer James Gonzales.