Restrainedvengence outduels Gato Guapo in Curribot Handicap

Restrainedvengence battled for a three-quarter length win over Gato Guapo in the $75,000 Curribot Handicap on Sunday at Sunland Park. It was another six lengths back in third to Raagheb.

The card was to be the final one for the next three weeks, the New Mexico track announced late Sunday. The facilities, which include an ontrack casino, will temporarily shut down beginning at 1 a.m. Mountain on Monday. The Sunland Derby had been scheduled for next Sunday.

Restrainedvengence ($3.80) tracked the pace in the Curribot as Gato Guapo set fractions of 23.83 seconds for the opening quarter, 48.47 for the half-mile and 1:12.14 for six furlongs, pushed along by Flat Fast. Restrainedvengence went after the leaders on the final turn, and hooked up with Gato Guapo in the drive, with the winner covering 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:42.32.

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Following the race, there was a claim of foul against the winner, but no change was made to the order of finish.

Restrainedvengence was the 124-pound highweight, while Gato Guapo toted 118.

Francisco Arrieta rode the winner for trainer Val Brinkerhoff. Restrainedvengence is a son of Hold Me Back who races for Kelly Brinkerhoff and Bob Grayson Jr.

He invaded from Southern California off a fifth-place finish in the Grade 2 San Pasqual on Feb. 1 and, since the race, third-place finisher Combatant has come back to win the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap.

Restrainedvengence has now won six of 21 starts and earned $409,222. He was winning his fourth stakes race, among his other stakes wins the Zia Park Championship in November.