New Mexico Cup Day offers big money for statebreds

The New Mexico racing community recently lost two stalwarts with the deaths of Henry Dominguez and Peppers Pride, and both will be top of mind Sunday during the $1.9 million New Mexico Cup at Zia Park.

Blazing Navarone could go favored for Dominguez’s estate in the $185,000 Rocky Gulch, while the field for the co-featured $175,000 Peppers Pride includes two starters from her trainer, Joel Marr.

The races are part of a card of 12 stakes for New Mexico-breds. There are eight stakes for Thoroughbreds, worth a total of $1,085,000, and four stakes for Quarter Horses worth a collective $842,545. It is the richest day of the meet and first post is noon Mountain.

“It’s a big day, something you point towards, obviously,” Marr said. “It means a lot for New Mexico-breds.”

Peppers Pride put the focus on New Mexico-breds during a racing career in which she was unbeaten in 19 starts and retired with $1 million in earnings. Marr on Sunday will send out Movin On and Pink Cadillac in the mile race for fillies and mares named in her honor. Peppers Pride won it 2008, when it was called the New Mexico Cup Distaff.

“It would mean a lot if we could get there,” Marr said.

Movin On is the defending winner and comes into this year’s edition off a runner-up finish to multiple stakes winner Kram in the $30,000 Governor’s Handicap on Sept. 2 at Ruidoso Downs. The start was Movin On’s first since May.

“That was an open race, and she ran quite well,” Marr said. “She’s doing great. I don’t have any complaints with her training.”

Movin On will break from the rail under Miguel Fuentes Jr.

“She likes to be close,” Marr said. “We’ll either be close or on the lead. We’ll let her run away from the gate and see what happens.”

Pink Cadillac, who also is a stakes winner, is making her first start since April. She will break from post 6 under Luis Fuentes.

“She’s kind of done a little bit of everything,” Marr said. “I would say she’d sit midpack.”

Movin On races for Carson Donnell Echols, while Pink Cadillac is owned by J. Kirk and Judy Robison.

Blazing Navarone faces 10 others in the Rocky Gulch, a mile race for 3-year-olds and up. His rivals include Thunder Dome, who won this race in 2018; Shining Source, a six-time stakes winner; and Hustle Up, a multiple stakes winner making his first start against older rivals.

Dominguez, who was a perennial leading trainer in New Mexico, sent out Blazing Navarone to win last year’s New Mexico Cup Derby. The horse is back at Zia off a win in the $50,000 Land of Enchantment on July 28 at Ruidoso. He led throughout, and the Beyer Speed Figure of 85 that he earned is the best career number in the Rocky Gulch.

Dominguez’s estate races Blazing Navarone with Barbara Coleman. Enrique Gomez has the mount for trainer Martin Valdez-Cabral Jr.

Hustle Up also comes off a two-turn stakes win, wiring his rivals in the $90,000 Casino and the Downs Derby on Aug. 31 at the Downs at Albuquerque. He earned a Beyer of 76. Quite Peace, who was second for Marr, came back in his next start to take a conditioned allowance at Zia by seven lengths and also returns in the Rocky Gulch.

In the $145,000 Oaks at six furlongs, African Heat will be looking for her third stakes win when she makes the fifth start of her career. She comes off a Sunland Park stakes win for which she earned this field’s best Beyer Figure, an 80.

“It’s her first start for me, and her first start since January,” Marr said. “I was hoping to get a race, but that didn’t happen. Hopefully, I’ve got her fit enough. She’s obviously got a lot of class.”

Diabolical Ruler, winner of last year’s New Mexico Cup Juvenile, returns in the $145,000 derby. It will be run over six furlongs and drew a field of 12, including My Boanerges, who is 5 for 6.

Diabolical Ruler comes off a third-place finish in an allowance against older rivals at Zia.

“He’s training well, and I look forward to him running,” Marr said.

In this year’s $145,000 Juvenile, Marr sends out On a Warpath, who won a maiden special weight Sept. 23 at Zia.

“He’s only run once,” Marr said. “He ran a very gutsy race.”

On a Warpath was a head winner over Fast Steppin, who came back to take a maiden special weight and also runs in the Juvenile.

Shame On Powers, a multiple stakes winner, is seeking to improve his record to 5 for 9.

In the $145,000 Lassie at six furlongs, Marr sends out the promising 2-year-old filly Gold of Roses.

“I really like her chances,” he said. “She’s been really competitive. She’s tried very hard every time. I think if she gets a clean trip, doesn’t have any problems, she’ll be very competitive.”

◗ The $175,000 Sprint over six furlongs drew the first three finishers from the Sierra Blanco at Ruidoso – Mr. Mooch, D E Lover, and Four Star Saint. In the counterpart for fillies and mares, the $145,000 Distaff Sprint, the one to catch is Waltzing Attila.