Sir Rick draws off to win Mine That Bird Derby

Sir Rick ran to his strong workout for the $100,000 Mine That Bird Derby on Sunday, when he drove to a four length win over Top Draw in the 1 1/16-mile race at Sunland Park. It was another 3 1/4 lengths back to Stackin Silver in third.

The Mine That Bird Derby was the final local prep for next month’s Grade 3, $700,000 Sunland Derby. It was one of four stakes on the program Sunday.

Robertino Diodoro, who trains Sir Rick, said before the Mine That Bird Derby that a strong five-eighths work from the horse led him to ship Sir Rick to Sunland from Sam Houston. Sir Rick ($5.40) broke well Sunday and took the field through an opening quarter in 24.26 seconds, while traveling wide into the first turn. The eventual winner was joined by Top Draw through a half-mile in 48.25 seconds and six furlongs in 1:13.15. Into the stretch, Sir Rick started to separate himself from his rivals and went on to cover the distance on a fast track in 1:44.23.

:: To stay up to date, follow us on: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Francisco Arrieta was aboard the winner for Richard L. Davis.

Sir Rick is a son of Paynter. He came into the Mine That Bird Derby off a 5 1/4-length allowance win Jan. 18 at Sam Houston. The runner-up from that race, Dr. Forman, is entered in a Saturday night stakes at Delta Downs.

As for Sir Rick, he was winning his first stakes race in the Mine That Bird Derby. The race was named for the Kentucky Derby winner with ties to New Mexico, and Dr. Leonard Blach, who raced the horse in partnership, made the trophy presentation Sunday.

Sir Rick has now won 4 of 6 starts for earnings of $126,012.

Evans trainees form Island Fashion exacta

Shanghai Keely won the $75,000 Island Fashion by three-quarters of a length over Brave Cinderella to give Stable H M A and trainer Justin Evans the exacta in the race that serves as the local prep for next month’s $200,000 Sunland Park Oaks. It was another 5 3/4 lengths back to Dynasty of Her Own in third.

Shanghai Keely ($12.60) stalked the pace, moved to the fore in the stretch, and fought off the late run of Brave Cinderella. The winner covered the mile on a fast track in 1:39.

J.R. Coates was aboard Shanghai Keely. She is a daughter of Shanghai Bobby and the Grade 2-winning mare Silentlea.

Shanghai Keely was a $40,000 claim in February at Golden Gate Fields. Earlier in her career, she had run third in the track’s $55,000 Debutante and fourth in the Grade 2 Sorrento at Del Mar. She was winning her first stakes Sunday.

Emotional winner in Dominguez Memorial

Blazing Navarone won a race named for his late trainer when he wired the field in the $100,000 Albert and Henry Dominguez Memorial. Henry Dominguez trained Blazing Navarone until the horseman’s death last year. The race Sunday honored Dominguez and his late brother, Albert, who both had longstanding ties to the area, and to Sunland Park.

Blazing Navarone ($8.80) won by 3 1/4 lengths over Rig Time. He covered 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:43.67. Ry Eikleberry was aboard the son of Song of Navarone for trainer Martin Cabral-Valdez Jr. Blazing Navarone has now won eight stakes – including a past running of the Albert Dominguez Memorial – and overall boasts a 12-for-25 record for earnings of $621,316.

► Effort N Results ($31.20) rallied for a three-quarter-length win over Evacuee in the $100,000 Red Hedeman Mile. The race was for 3-year-olds bred in New Mexico. The winner covered the mile in 1:39.45. Ken Tohill was aboard for trainer Joel Marr. Effort N Results is a son of Shame On Charlie who races for Terry Adams.

► Runaway Ghost ($4) won a 6 1/2-furlong allowance earlier on the card, covering the distance in 1:16.28. A past winner of the Sunland Derby, he scored by a length over Raagheb.