Sunland Park: Cottagecupcake avoids nemesis in Czaria Stakes

It took arguably the best mare based at Sunland Park to put an end to Cottagecupcake’s three-race win streak earlier this year. African Rose defeated Cottagecupcake by two lengths in the $50,000 El Diario on Feb. 8, but Cottagecupcake won’t have to deal with her again Saturday in the $50,000 Czaria at the New Mexico track.

Cottagecupcake was making her stakes debut in the El Diario, and she rebounded with a win in an optional $20,000 claiming sprint March 1. African Rose, meanwhile, won the Harry Henson Handicap on the Sunland Park Derby undercard for the second year in a row.

In the Czaria, a six-furlong race for fillies and mares, Cottagecupcake faces six others, including Hard to Resist, who last fall was eighth in the Grade 1 Spinster at Keeneland, and Warrens Venedalucy, a stakes winner earlier this meet at Sunland.

As for Cottagecupcake, winning is a part of her pedigree, as she is a half-sister to Wildwood Gold, a winner of 11 of 33 starts. Cottagecupcake will be cutting back from two turns Saturday and could get a tracking trip behind Bright Town, Challenging, and perhaps Lady of Luck. Carlos Madeira has the mount on Cottagecupcake for Champion Racing Stable, M.H. Carson, and trainer Dallas Barton.

Hard to Resist was second in the Harry Henson in her most recent start March 23. Enrique Gomez has the mount for trainer Henry Dominguez.