Sunland: Former claimer Garretsghostlygirl pays dividends in La Senora
Garretsghostlygirl, who was claimed for $10,000 in July, became a stakes winner Saturday at Sunland Park in the $110,000 La Senora Stakes. She won the six-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies bred in New Mexico by 3 3/4 lengths over Hot For You.
Garretsghostlygirl ($17.80) set the pace through opening half-mile in 45.14 seconds and kept rolling, to cover the distance in 1:11.24. Miguel Hernandez rode the winner for M J Racing and trainer Justin Evans.
The connections claimed Garretsghostlygal out of a maiden race at SunRay Park. She won that afternoon, then took an allowance in her first start for her new connections. Garretsghostlygal entered Saturday’s race off a third-place finish in a Zia allowance Nov. 14.
The La Senora was the first Sunland stakes win for Justin Evans, who was the leading trainer at SunRay Park in Farmington, N.M.
Sunland-based jockey Joe Martinez rode his 2,500th Thoroughbred winner on Friday. It came in the seventh race, aboard Fanny Chenal ($22). Martinez has won 3,455 career races, which includes wins aboard Quarter Horses. He is a past title winner at Sunland.