Sunland Park: Extra ground should help Angry Bird in El Paso Times

Angry Bird, who was a $62,500 claim, and Affable Amy, a $2,500 yearling purchase at auction, appear to be the main players in the $50,000 El Paso Times at Sunland Park on Sunday.

The 6 1/2-furlong race is for 3-year-old fillies.

Angry Bird was claimed out of her second career start, a fourth-place finish in a Del Mar maiden race Sept. 5. She turned up six weeks later at Zia Park and won a maiden special weight from off the pace while making her first start for new connections, Jeffrey and Chris Meyers and trainer Owen Bringhurst.

In her only start since that race, Angry Bird was third as the favorite in a first-level allowance at Sunland on Dec. 17. She rallied from next to last in that race to finish behind Feisty Flirt and Affable Amy, opponents she will face again Sunday. However, there are reasons to believe Angry Bird will turn the tables on those rivals in the El Paso Times.

She will be picking up an extra sixteenth of a mile, which should suit her running style. Angry Bird also should get a nice pace setup as three of her rivals are coming off wire-to-wire sprint wins. Isaias Enriquez has the mount.

Affable Amy, a daughter of E Dubai purchased at auction at Keeneland in 2010, is the lone horse in the field to have placed in a stakes, finishing third in the $55,000 Permian Basin at Zia in October. Prior to that race, she won her debut at Prairie Meadows. Casey Lambert has the mount for trainer Ray Ashford Jr., who also is co-owner with Thomas Monsen.