Zia overnight purses get boost for 2019

The $1 million Land of Enchantment program anchored by the $250,000 Zia Park Oaks and $250,000 Zia Park Derby will again highlight the meet at the Hobbs, N.M., track, which opens for its 15th year of racing Saturday.

Zia is running 53 dates through Dec. 18. Its mixed format will feature straight Thoroughbred racing on Mondays and Tuesdays, straight Quarter Horse racing on Saturdays, and both breeds on Sundays.

There also are a pair of Wednesday cards, led by the Land of Enchantment program Nov. 27, the day before Thanksgiving. The Zia Park Oaks and Derby, which are both at 1 1/16 miles, are the richest Thoroughbred offerings at Zia. They will share a card with five other Thoroughbred stakes, including the $150,000 Zia Championship for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles. The other Wednesday card is Dec. 18.

The stakes schedule is worth a total of $4 million. The $1.9 million New Mexico Cup card features 12 stakes for New Mexico-breds on Oct. 27, with eight of them for Thoroughbreds. The first major stakes of the meet are for Quarter Horses, with the Grade 2 Hobbs American Futurity and the Grade 3 Hobbs American Derby to share a card on Oct. 13.

Zia is running trials for both stakes Saturday and Sunday. Trainer Marcos Carrizales, who won the $3 million All American Futurity earlier this month at Ruidoso Downs with Mr Jess Jenkins, has Wikipedia B in Sunday’s trials for the Hobbs American Derby.

Zia projects overnight purses will average $225,000 a program this meet, according to a press release from the track. That’s up 10 percent from 2018. The racing secretary is Mike Shamburg, who is returning to Zia after working in the same capacity at Remington Park and Lone Star Park.

Zia on Thursday announced the addition of a 50-cent pick five to its Thoroughbred cards. It will run on the final five races and if no ticket has all five winners there will be a 50 percent pool payout to those with the most winners and a 50 percent carryover.

Ry Eikleberry, who won the Thoroughbred riding title in 2018, is back for the new meet. So are trainers Todd Fincher and Justin Evans, who each were granted 60 stalls. The new track surface consultant is Johnny Jamison.

John McGary returns as announcer for his third meet, leaving his Louisiana Downs post a few dates short of its closing program. Brian Arrigoni, a paddock host for Canterbury Park, will fill in at Louisiana Downs for McGary.

◗ Bokeelia Island will start as the 123-pound highweight in the $55,000 Budweiser Special Handicap on Saturday night at the Downs at Albuquerque. The 6 1/2-furlong event drew nine horses.

Bokeelia Island is turning back from 1 1/8 miles, having finished second by a half-length in the $200,000 Downs at Albuquerque Handicap in his last start Aug. 3. The last two times he has raced at one turn he has won, taking an optional $25,000 claiming sprint and the $55,000 J.R. Malouff, both this meet at Albuquerque.