Sunland: Prospect to the Top blazes his way to Championship win

The Quarter Horse champion Prospect to the Top won his second consecutive Grade 1 race on Sunday, when he led throughout in the $350,000 Championship at Sunland Park. He won by a half-length over Jess Featureme Quick, while it was another half-length back in third to First Blazin Love.

Prospect to the Top ($7) came into the Championship off a 1 3/4-length win in the Grade 1 Zia Park Distance Championship on Dec. 2. In the race Sunday, he covered 400 yards on a track rated fast in 19.03 seconds. Oscar Rincon rode Prospect to the Top for Joel Tavarez and trainer Brandon Muniz.

Prospect to the Top has made just five starts this year, after spending the first part of 2012 standing at stud, according to the American Quarter Horse Association. He is a 4-year-old by Coronas Prospect.

* Joel Marr trainees accounted for the exacta in the $85,000 Albert Dominguez Memorial Handicap for New Mexico-breds , when On Down the Road drove to a three-quarter length win over Attitude E Racer. On Down the Road ($6.20) stalked the pace and went on to cover 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.51. He was winning his third straight race, behind an allowance and the $180,000 New Mexico Cup Classic, both at Zia Park. Carlos Madeira was aboard On Down the Road for Lisa M Rehburg.