Texas Chrome draws rail for Downs at Albuquerque Handicap

Texas Chrome is scheduled to arrive in New Mexico on Thursday morning for Saturday night’s $200,000 Downs at Albuquerque Handicap, trainer Allen Milligan said Monday. Texas Chrome is the 122-pound highweight.

The Downs at Albuquerque Handicap is the meet’s premier offering for Thoroughbreds. It will be run over 1 1/8 miles and drew a field of 10. Lindey Wade has the mount on Texas Chrome, who will break from the rail, a draw that suits the horse, said Milligan.

“I think it’s fine with him,” he said. “I’d rather be on the inside than the outside.”

Texas Chrome became a millionaire by winning last month’s Assault Stakes at Lone Star Park. Milligan said Texas Chrome got the call to go to The Downs at Albuquerque because he bounced out of the Assault so well. He won the July 22 race by 1 1/4 lengths and equaled his best Beyer Speed Figure, a 100.

“He’s come back so bright and alert, just training good,” Milligan said Monday. “He was a little frisky Sunday morning on the racetrack.”

Danny Keene owns Texas Chrome, who is just the second Texas-bred to become a millionaire, following Groovy, according to the Texas Thoroughbred Association.

The Downs at Albuquerque Handicap will go as the sixth race on a 10-race program that starts at 6:05 p.m. Mountain. The field, from the rail with riders, is: Texas Chrome, Wade; Ol Winedrinker Who, Enrique Gomez; Hereditary, Martin Bourdieu; Real Heat, David Lopez; Forest Mouse, Ry Eikleberry; American Dubai, Ken Tohill; Concord Fast, Elvin Gonzalez; Neck ‘n Neck, Alfredo Juarez Jr.; Overland Park, Duane Sterling; and Code West, Alex Birzer.

Forest Mouse has a chance to become a millionaire Saturday. He has won four of his last six starts and is sitting at $944,687 in career earnings. He is the third highweight at 120 pounds, with American Dubai, the winner of the Sunland Park Handicap, weighted at 121.