Sunland Park: Chica's Minister faces obstacles in bid to stay perfect in Mt. Cristo Rey Handicap

Chica’s Minister will have to overcome a four-month layoff and an outside post to remain undefeated in five starts in the $85,000 Mt. Cristo Rey Handicap at Sunland Park. He is the 122-pound highweight in the 4 1/2-furlong race for 3-year-olds and up bred in New Mexico.

Chica’s Minister is one of six stakes winners in the 10-horse field. Others include Thermal, Devons Ca Ching, Roll Out the Band, and Dats Dee, whose stakes score came against Quarter Horses.

Chica’s Minister has built his 4-for-4 record against New Mexico-breds. Trained by Joel Marr, Chica’s Minister debuted last April at Sunland in a maiden special weight at 5 1/2 furlongs. Chica’s Minister proceeded to take a pair of allowance sprints before making his stakes debut in the $152,000 New Mexico Cup Championship for 3-year-olds at Zia on Oct. 27.

Chica’s Minister won by three-quarters of a length, after covering six furlongs in a sharp 1:09.40. He has been flattered since the race, with three horses he defeated returning to win optional claimers at Zia. The next-out winners included Thermal, who accounted for an optional $40,000 claimer with a Beyer Speed Figure of 73.

The 4-year-old Chica’s Minister will break from post 9, under regular rider Carlos Madeira.

Agiba Yulla, who was third in last year’s Mt. Cristo, is a half-brother to 21-time winner Yulla Yulla.