Zia Park: Hometown hero Way to Go Gerda tries to end year on a winning note

Way to Go Gerda will close out what has been a highly productive season Monday, when she chases her fifth win of the year in the 10th race at Zia Park. The six-furlong allowance is for 3-year-old fillies bred in New Mexico, and it has a purse of $44,500.

Way to Go Gerda has won four of her last five starts dating back to June, with her one loss during that period coming on a wet track. In her most recent start, she won her division’s biggest prize, the $152,000 New Mexico Cup Filly Championship at Zia on Oct. 27.

“The filly’s been getting good all year long,” said Roy Marcom Jr., who trains Way to Go Gerda for her breeder, Larry Strain. “I think it’s had a lot to do with maturity. She’s always had talent. She wasn’t a big filly when she was a 2-year-old, and now she just kind of looks more like a Quarter Horse. She’s got more hip, more shoulder. She hasn’t grown in height so much as she’s filled out, just really bloomed.”

Marcom said Way to Go Gerda also has become more versatile in her races at 3.

“She’s got to learning how to run,” he said. “You don’t have to put her on the front end anymore. She’ll sit and she’s got a pretty good kick the last quarter of a mile. That’s made her better.”

Way to Go Gerda was born and raised in Hobbs, N.M., the same town as Zia. Marcom said she will be making her final start of the year at her home track Monday and next season will come under consideration for stakes at Sunland Park. Sunland, the New Mexico track located near El Paso, Texas, opens its meet Friday.

Way to Go Gerda will break from post 6 under jockey Alfredo Juarez Jr.

Others set to start in the eight-horse field include Lakehouse Fun, runner-up to Way to Gerda in the New Mexico Cup, and Tyger Tears, winner of the $65,000 Aztec Oaks at SunRay Park in May.

First post for the penultimate card of the Zia meet is 12:15 p.m. Mountain.