Rocky Gulch tops card of statebreds

Rocky Gulch will spot his rivals from 10 to 19 pounds on Sunday, when he starts as the 127-pound highweight in the $140,000 New Mexico Cup Classic at Zia Park in Hobbs, N.M.

The one-mile race is the richest Thoroughbred offering on the inaugural $1.2 million New Mexico Cup card, a program of 11 stakes restricted to horses bred in New Mexico.

is one of the state's best, having won 10 career stakes ranging in distance from 4 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/16 miles. He has won carrying as much as 128 pounds, and in February toted 127 when he won at one mile in the $130,000 New Mexico State University at Sunland Park. In all, Rocky Gulch has earned $684,038.

"He is the horse of a lifetime," said Larry Teague, a resident of Hobbs who bred and races Rocky Gulch.

The 4-year-old Rocky Gulch will be making his second start back from a five-month layoff on Sunday, and will also be stretching back out around two turns after finishing third in the $30,000 E.T. Springer at seven furlongs at Albuquerque in his last start Sept. 10. Terry Walker trains the horse and has given the mount to Jorge Bourdieu.

Four straight for Bo Chime?

Bo Chime has torn up the competition in her last three starts. She won her maiden by 18 3/4 lengths in her second career start July 1, an allowance by 6 3/4 lengths Sept. 10, and the $68,000 D&F Sawyer Futurity by 11 1/2 lengths in her last start Sept. 25.

That record makes her the one to beat in the $105,000 Juvenile Fillies at 6 1/2 furlongs. Others in the 12-horse field include Peppers Pride, who is a perfect 2 for 2.

Bo Chime is trained by Henry Dominguez, who has given the mount to leading rider Ken Tohill.

Danley seeks late double

Trainer Fred Danley has the horses to beat in the final two stakes on the card. In the 10th race, he will send out Romeos Wilson in the $115,000 New Mexico Sprint at six furlongs. Romeos Wilson won the Springer over Rocky Gulch, and in his most recent start captured an allowance at Zia.

Hollywood Gone is Danley's representative in the 11th, the $105,000 New Mexico Fillies for 3-year-olds at 6 1/2 furlongs. She has won 5 of 9 starts, and in her last out also won an allowance at Zia.

No shortage of stakes winners

The field assembled for the $105,000 New Mexico Cup Colts and Geldings for 2-year-olds at 6 1/2 furlongs is an accomplished group, with half of the starters in the 12-horse field having won at least one stakes race.

Latenite Band enters off back-to-back wins, and his stalk-and-pounce style should serve him well in a race that has its share of speed. The other stakes winners in the field are Silver City Jones, Copelan's Mask, In Unity, Manolito, and Cowboyed Up.

* C.G.'s Dollar owns some of the field's best Beyer Figures in the $105,000 Colts and Geldings for 3-year-olds at 6 1/2 furlongs. In his last two starts, an allowance runner-up finish and a stakes win, he has earned respective Beyers of 90 and 91.

* Latenight Special, a winner of 9 of 14, gets back to one of her most productive distances, 6 1/2 furlongs, in the $115,000 Filly and Mare. The last three times she has raced at the distance she has won stakes, among them the $57,000 New Mexico Distaff at Sun Ray Park.

* The filly Blazin Nights was the fastest qualifier for the $260,700 New Mexico Classic Quarter Horse Futurity, the richest race on the card. She won her trial for the 400-yard race in 19.34 seconds, drawing clear by 2 3/4 lengths in her first start in close to three months. Her chief threat is the colt Chicks a Dashin.

* Mr. Runaway Shaker can win his third straight race in the $139,029 New Mexico Classic Quarter Horse Derby.

* Cowboy Jackpot, whose last two wins have come at 870 yards, gets back to that distance in the first race, the $110,000 New Mexico Cup.

* Run Mr, who has won three of his last four starts, is among the leading contenders in the $120,000 Quarter Horse, a 440-yard race for 3-year-olds and upward that drew 10.