The 10th Running of the NM Breeders Derby
March 27, 2022 16:45
SUN Race #8 $250.000
NM-Bred 3YO 120 Lbs 11/16 Dirt
Stakes Record-1:41.61 (Born Sassy-2021)
Track Record-1:41.18 (Cube Zero-2019)
Welcome to the Land of Enchantment for a Sunday full of stakes-action! Going off at 16:45 is the 10th running of the NM Breeders Derby for NM-bred sophomores going 8.5-furlongs with $250.000 on the line. In a bit of a rarity, Jive Inc. is the breeder of 83% of the field; that’s an impressive feat regardless of what happens on the track. We have a small field of six and all will carry 120-pounds. Here’s your field for the NM Breeders Derby:
#1 Average Savage (Threshold/D. Saenz): Rail-horse has shown some dramatic improvement since turning 3yo with a MSW win and a 3rd in a stakes this season. Only has a handful of starts so he’s certainly eligible to keep that momentum building. Hasn’t defeated winners yet, but there are worse things to own than an obviously improving 3yo.
#2 Custom Continental (Our Athletes/J.R. Velazquez): Back on three-weeks after his first race since the $250.000 purchase. Faded against graded foes in that barn debut and comes off of the TC prep trail for this. Unlike the horse on his inside, this guy has kind of plateaued since winning an October G1. This seems to be a very logical spot to see what he has left and he’s a player on class alone.
#3 Hand Cannon (Jive Inc./Ru. Gonzalez): First of three for this conditioner, gelding was a two-back winner at the NM-bred stakes level at ZIA. Didn’t run all that bad when 3rd in seasonal bow against open company in a $100.000 stake over this strip and could find himself sitting a very good trip here. Trainer should have a pretty good idea of who he has to beat so none of his three can be discounted.
#4 [Rename1653] (Jive Inc./A. Cedillo): No name, but he has some talent looks like. Been fed a steady diet of these kinds of opportunities since breaking the maiden and is a winner at this level. Nothing wrong with that latest effort and only has to answer the distance question, but this seems well within his scope. Barn’s second runner looks better than the first and looks to turn the tables on the stablemate to his outside.
#5 Fire Marshall Bill (Jive Inc./J.C. Ferrer): Barn’s third runner is a better sophomore than he was a juvenile and enters with a modest two-race winning streak to start 2022. Got the nod last time and looks to be quick enough to stay right off of the pace in this spot. Would be no surprise at all if the barn ran 1-2-3 and this guy looks a strong candidate to get his picture taken again.
#6 Cowboys Are King (T Boy Racing/R. Chirinos): If you can draw a line through that latest effort, this guy looks really good. Feels like that is what the conditioner has done as he wheels him right back; that can only be seen as a positive. He’s a two-time winner at this level and he races at equal weight with the other five in here. Another that looks appealing in a wide open affair.
Final Analysis: 4-6-5 is how we’ll play it, but this should be one of the better races of the day. Good luck to all of the connections involved in the NM Breeders Derby at SUN!
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES
