Sunland Park: Cottagecupcake looks like primary speed in El Diario

Cottagecupcake will seek to remain undefeated in four starts Saturday, when she makes her stakes debut in the $50,000 El Diario Handicap at Sunland Park. The 6 1/2-furlong race drew eight fillies and mares, including stakes winners Wine Thief, African Rose, and Joyful Tap.

Cottagecupcake has raced exclusively at Sunland for the partnership of Champion Racing Stable and M.H. Carson and trainer Dallas Barton. She won her debut against maiden special weight rivals last March, then was dormant until December when she took a conditioned allowance sprint. Cottagecupcake’s latest win came in an optional $25,000 claimer Jan. 7, and the Beyer Speed Figure of 78 that she earned is the best last-race number in the El Diario.

Cottagecupcake, a 4-year-old by Grade 1 Hollywood Futurity winner Stormello, has won all of her races on the front end, by a combined margin of 8 1/4 lengths. She is a half-sister to Wildwood Gold, an 11-time winner from 33 starts. Carlos Madeira, who knows something about keeping win streaks alive as the rider of the now-retired Peppers Pride, has the mount from post 3.

Cottagecupcake has other speed to contend with, but she might prove to be the dominant speed based on her last start, when she took the field thorough an opening half-mile in 44.71 seconds, before getting the race’s 5 1/2 furlongs in a blazing 1:02.99.

Wine Thief, winner of the $55,000 Zia Park Distaff in November, is the 121-pound starting highweight. She enters off a third-place finish in the $50,080 Bold Ego at Sunland. Ry Eikleberry has the mount for trainer Justin Evans.