Wine Police seeks first Sunland stakes win in KLAQ Handicap
Wine Police will attempt to nail down his first Sunland Park stakes win on Saturday in the $65,000 KLAQ Handicap. He missed by a neck in last year’s running, and in his only other start at the New Mexico track, he was second by a neck in the Bill Thomas Memorial.
But the third time could be the charm for Wine Police, who worked a bullet half-mile in 47.60 seconds last week in his final prep for the KLAQ. The race, for 3-year-olds and up at five furlongs, is the first Thoroughbred stakes offering of the meet, which was to open Friday. The card also includes the $85,000 Jess Burner Memorial for Quarter Horses.
Wine Police is the 120-pound highweight in the KLAQ’s field of seven, which includes fellow stakes winners Alsono and Rockin Home.
KLAQ Handicap (Race 9)
KEY CONTENDERS
Wine Police (Last 3 Beyers: NA-81-65)
• He was one of the top choices in the $107,000 Zia Park Sprint in his most recent start Nov. 25 but was pulled up as the result of a cramp in a hind leg, said trainer Henry Dominguez.
“He didn’t get away really well and exerted himself down the backside to get position,” Dominguez said. “I thought maybe he hurt himself [as he was being pulled up], but a few minutes later, he was walking fine on all fours.”
Owners J. Kirk and Judy Robison and Dominguez had extensive diagnostics performed on Wine Police, including X-rays and an ultrasound, and all tests were negative, according to Dominguez.
“There was no inflammation, no filling, no muscle tear,” he said. “There wasn’t anything. It was just a cramp, and he came back and worked really well.”
• Wine Police, a four-time stakes winner who has earned $506,197, won an optional $20,000 claiming sprint by a half-length at Zia on Oct. 5 in his start prior to the Zia Park Sprint.
“He sat on the outside of the speed, rated real well, and was real game,” Dominguez said. “He’s a game horse. He loves his job.”
• Enrique Gomez has the mount from post 2.
Forin Sea (Last 3 Beyers: 85-78-76)
• The runner-up in the Zia Park Sprint, he was prominent from the start and finished three lengths behind the winner. The six-furlong race went in a quick 1:09.
• Forin Sea will break from the rail in his third start since August.