Semper Fortis vs. Dalmore in Zia Derby

Semper Fortis and Dalmore have had productive 3-year-old seasons in Southern California, but have never lined up against each other. That changes Wednesday, when they invade New Mexico for the $200,000 Zia Park Derby.

The 1 1/16-mile Zia Derby, which lured 12, has a twofold draw: It’s the final main-track derby of the year, plus the money is good.

“It’s a great opportunity to keep Semper Fortis against his own age group,” trainer Doug O’Neill said.

“And the purse is strong.”

The Zia Park Derby is one of nine stakes on the $1.2 million Land of Enchantment card. The program is led by the $300,000 Zia Park Oaks.

Semper Fortis, second by a head in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Derby in September, will remove blinkers. His works for Wednesday’s race include a six-furlong drill in 1:14 Nov. 14 at Santa Anita.

“He’s been breezing lately without his blinkers, and he’s really shown a whole new dimension of fight,” O’Neill said. “He’s probably had four or five works without them.”

Mario Gutierrez has the mount from post 3 for Reddam Racing.

Dalmore, winner of the Grade 3 Affirmed at his Santa Anita base, is making his first start since finishing second by a half-length in the Grade 3 Super Derby on Sept. 10 at Louisiana Downs. Texas Chrome, who won the race, returned in his next start to take the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park. Kent Desormeaux has the mount from post 5 for his brother, trainer Keith Desormeaux.

Also set to start is No Distortion, winner of the Long Branch at Monmouth who worked a bullet five-eighths in 58.40 seconds Nov. 11 at Fair Grounds.

Smack Smack defends title

Smack Smack and Mobile Bay will pick up more ground in the $150,000 Zia Distance Championship over 1 1/18 miles. They are among a field of 12.

Smack Smack won last year’s Distance Championship and comes into Wednesday’s race off a second-place finish in the 1 1/16-mile Veterans Stakes at Zia.

“He does like a mile and an eighth better,” trainer Don Von Hemel said.

Mobile Bay, who won last year’s Zia Derby, enters the Distance Championship off a runner-up finish at a mile in the Gold Cup at Delta Downs. Mobile Bay registered his biggest win at 1 1/8 miles in the Grade 2 Super Derby.

Indexical off the claim

There’s Southern California influence in the $75,000 Zia Sprint. Indexical and Rockport Kat were both claimed out of Santa Anita races their last start, while Toews On Ice is now based in New Mexico after starting his career at Del Mar.

Indexical was taken for $62,500 from a troubled fourth in a Sept. 30 optional claimer. He has been working at Zia, and will make his first start in New Mexico on Wednesday.

“We were hoping he’d be good enough to win some stakes back here,” trainer Bart Hone said.

Indexical has hooked some top-class sprinters over the past several months. He was second to Lord Nelson in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby in July at Del Mar, and third to Masochistic in the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien in August at Del Mar.

“He’s probably not quite that caliber, but I think he’s a pretty good horse,” Hone said. “He’s been training over the track, doing good.”

Hone said he likes shortening up from seven-eighths to six furlongs Wednesday. Indexical will break from post 5 in a field of eight; Jorge Carreno will ride.

“It looks like there’s quite a bit of pace in the race,” Hone said. “I wish we were a little bit farther outside, because two horses outside of us got a little speed. He likes to kind of run free.”

Local tests stakes company

Seams Discreet will make her stakes debut while attempting to win her fourth straight race in the $75,000 Zia Distaff for fillies and mares at six furlongs. She enters off a win at the six-furlong distance of the Distaff, having won an optional $35,000 claiming race in 1:08.60 Oct 31 at Zia.

“Every time we’ve run her she’s been in tough and she just runs a little better and a little faster,” trainer Jon Arnett said. “The other day she ran in eight and change. We’re kind of high on her. We’ll see what happens.”

◗ Desormeaux has the mount on Lauras Indianmusic in the $140,000 Eddy County, a one-mile and 70-yard race for 2-year-olds bred in New Mexico. Lauras Indianmusic, who won a maiden race in his two-turn debut last out, is part of a 12-horse field led by Thunder Dome.

◗ The Quarter Horse competition is led by the $150,000 Championship, which drew multiple Grade 1 winner Zoomin Effortlessly. Also on the card is the $140,000 Fillies and Mares Championship and the $50,000 King Rick Rack Stakes.