Mine That Star deals with class-dropping shippers in Albuquerque Handicap

Mine That Star will be taking on a couple of Southern California shippers Saturday night, when he starts as the 124-pound highweight in the $200,000 Downs at Albuquerque Handicap.

Bye Bye Bobby is weighted at 123 after racing at Santa Anita, while Arham is set to carry 121 pounds following a stakes win at Los Alamitos.

The Downs at Albuquerque Handicap is the richest offering for Thoroughbreds at the meet, and it will go as the fifth race. It is for 3-year-olds and up over 1 1/8 miles. The race drew six, including a shipper from Oklahoma in Presidential.

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Mine That Star, who is a half-brother to Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird, enters off a win in the $70,000 Budweiser Special on Oct. 1 at Albuquerque. He was third in that same race a year ago, when he went on to finish second by a neck in the Downs at Albuquerque Handicap.

Mine That Star’s win in this year’s Budweiser Special came in his first start since May, when he ran fifth in the Grade 3, $400,000 Steve Sexton Mile at Lone Star Park. Mine That Star traveled to Texas for the race after his victory in the $150,000 Sunland Park Handicap in April.

Mine That Star, who is by Pioneerof the Nile, has natural speed and figures to be prominent on the move back to two turns Saturday. He will break from post 3. Luis Valenzuela has the mount for Judge Lanier Racing and trainer Nancy Summers.

Trainer Todd Fincher targeted Bye Bye Bobby for the Downs at Albuquerque Handicap earlier this season. The horse spent some time in Southern California after being previously based in New Mexico. He ran third in the Grade 3 Cougar II in July at Del Mar then off that 1 1/2-mile race cut back to seven furlongs and was a fast-closing second in the track’s Grade 2 Pat O’Brien.

Bye Bye Bobby last raced Sept. 30 and was sixth in the Grade 1 Awesome Again at Santa Anita. His stablemate, Senor Buscador, finished third in the race and is now being pointed to the Breeders’ Cup Classic. As for Bye Bye Bobby, he is proven at 1 1/8 miles by virtue of his win in the San Juan County Commissioners Handicap in May at SunRay Park in New Mexico.

Bye Bye Bobby will break from the rail under Tracy Hebert, who has the mount for B4 Farms. There is a fair amount of speed in the race, and it could set up an off-the-pace bid from Bye Bye Bobby.

Arham figures to be prominent off his front-running win in the $75,000 Los Alamitos Special on Sept. 17. He came into the race off a two-other-than allowance win over six furlongs at Del Mar.

Abel Cedillo has the mount from post 2 for trainer Vladimir Cerin.

Presidential is moving back to dirt off a fourth-place finish in the $100,000 Remington Park Green. The last time he ran on the main track he was an allowance winner at a mile in Oklahoma City. Alfredo Juarez Jr. has the mount from post 5 for trainer Steve Asmussen.

Truth Seeker was third last out in the Budweiser Special, and Bigfoot City brings good speed to the table Saturday.

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