Mr Money Bags by a nose in Roadrunner Stakes

Mr Money Bags set himself up for a start in next month’s $250,000 Zia Park Derby after he fought for a nose win over Minister of Soul in the New Mexico track’s $50,000 Roadrunner on Monday. It was another neck back to favorite Tiz Alluptome Now in third.

The Roadrunner was one of three stakes on the card and all were designed to produce starters for $1.1 million Land of Enchantment Day program on Nov. 27 at Zia.

Mr Money Bags ($6.40) was making his first start since July and his first start against older horses on Monday. He showed speed after breaking from post 2, dueling from along the rail through an opening quarter in 22.40 seconds. Mr Money Bags then dropped in behind the speed through a half-mile in 45.09, pushed up the rail in the stretch, and covered six furlongs on a fast track in 1:10.50.

Ernesto Valdez-Jimenez was aboard Mr Money Bags for trainer Mike Neatherlin.

Neatherlin said provided Mr Money Bags comes out of the race in good order, plans are to target the Zia Park Derby.

Mr Money Bags is now 2 for 2 at Zia, having won his debut at the track in a maiden special weight sprint. He’s since won four stakes, and was a chief contender for the Prelude in August at Louisiana Downs but was scratched from the Super Derby prep the morning of the race due to symptoms of colic. He was given time off and in recent times had been working sharply at Lone Star Park leading up to the Roadrunner.

Mr Money Bags is a son of Silver City who races for his breeder, Roy W. Cobb. He was winning the sixth race of his career Monday and the $30,000 he pushed his earnings to $195,270. Mr Money Bags has made nine career starts dating back to his debut win Nov. 6, 2018, at Zia.

The Roadrunner also is expected to produce starters for the $100,000 Zia Park Sprint on Nov. 27.

Bokeelia Island ($15) was 1 3/4-length winner over Sky Promise in the $50,000 Veterans, which is the local prep for the $150,000 Zia Park Championship on Nov. 27. It was another neck back in third to Sphene.

Lookin At Lee, who was the third choice, reared up at the start and spotted the field a number of lengths. He finished eighth. Earlier this year, Lookin At Lee won the $200,000 Downs at Albuquerque Handicap.

Bokeelia Island on Monday tracked the pace set by favorite Popularity, was part of a four-horse duel into the stretch, then kicked clear under jockey Miguel Perez. In the late stages, the winner comfortably held off a fast-closing Sky Promise. Bokeelia Island covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.46.

Justin Evans trains the winner for Cindy Perez and Vanessa Evans. Bokeelia Island is a son of Medaglia d’Oro and a half-brother to multiple Grade 1 winners Point of Entry and Pine Island. He has now won seven of 21 starts and earned $261,640.

Cashcheckorcharge ($25.20) won her fourth consecutive race and her stakes debut in the $50,000 Chaves County, a six-furlong race for fillies and mares that could produce starters for the $100,000 Zia Park Distaff.

Cashcheckorcharge won by a length over Shesomajestic, while it was 1 1/4 lengths back to Shasta Star in third.

Cashcheckorcharge tracked Best of Me through an opening quarter in 21.80 seconds, took the lead through a half-mile in 44.92, and went on to cover the distance in 1:10.46. Isaias Enriquez was aboard the winner for trainer and retired jockey Casey Lambert.

Tom Durant bred and owns Cashcheckorcharge, a daughter of Will Take Charge and the Grade 3-winning mare Final Mesa. Cashcheckorcharge has now won four of five starts and earned $75,720.