Marr saddles two contenders for Sunland Handicap
Trainer Joel Marr will attack the $150,000 Sunland Park Handicap on Sunday with a true 1 1/8-mile horse in Ol Winedrinker Who and a sharp runner out to prove himself at the trip in Super Accord. The pair helps make up a six-horse field that also includes Mobile Bay, a Grade 2 winner coming off a seventh-place finish in the New Orleans Handicap, and Forest Mouse and Pain and Misery, the one-two finishers in the local prep, the $75,000 Winsham Lad.
The Sunland Park Handicap will share a card with the Grade 3, $160,875 West Texas Derby for Quarter Horses.
Ol Winedrinker Who will be moving back to the 1 1/8-mile distance at which he is a multiple stakes winner, while Super Accord will be seeking to extend his win streak to four while making his first start beyond a mile.
Sunland Park Handicap, Race 9
KEY CONTENDERS
Ol Winedrinker Who, by Sligo Bay
Last 3 Beyers: 75-86-85
◗ The highest earner in the field with a bankroll of $722,003, he will be picking up more ground off a fourth-place finish in the one-mile Winsham Lad on April 6.
“The farther, the better,” said Marr.
◗ Ol Winedrinker Who was favored in the Winsham Lad, a race that was won on the front end.
“He never got rolling,” Marr said. “Never could catch the speed and came back with a little bit of a bruised foot, which could have played a part in it. Hopefully, we’ve got that straightened out.”
◗ Francisco Duran has the mount on Ol Winedrinker Who, a winner at 1 1/8 miles last June in the $150,000 Downs at Albuquerque Handicap. The horse races for breeders Sam and Sammy Stevens.
Super Accord, by Super Saver
Last 3 Beyers: 87-76-68
◗ He began his win streak in December, when he won a maiden special weight at six furlongs in his third start. The effort came at Sunland, and Super Accord backed it up with consecutive allowance wins at the track, both at a mile. He gets a distance test Sunday.
“I think he’ll be all right,” Marr said. “He seems like he’ll be able to run that far.”
◗ Ken Tohill has the mount for owner-breeder Cleber Massey.
Mobile Bay, by Lone Star Special
Last 3 Beyers: 88-88-87
◗ He is co-highweighted at 122 pounds with Forest Mouse and has won at 1 1/8 miles in the Maxxam Gold Cup at Sam Houston and the Grade 2 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs.
◗ Mobile Bay also is a winner in New Mexico, having accounted for the $210,000 Zia Park Derby in November. The win came under Edgar Prado, who has the mount again Sunday.