NM Classic Gulch Champ- $180.000 Purse
ZIA- For Three Year Olds and Upward Foaled in NM
One Mile on the Dirt
October 30, 2016

On Sunday, ZIA will host several great events designed to showcase the best in NM-bred racing.  In reality, this is likely a huge day down there, but in our virtual world, we’re fortunate to see the races fill.  This year, most have filled but will run with small fields such as this five-horse NM Classic Gulch Champ. It’s the fourth edition of the race, and the largest field we have ever seen in it.  The field itself is actually pretty strong, all things considered, and here they are.

#1- Mars (Hawaiian Shirt Guy, ridden by S Carrizales)- This gelding is best known for what he did during his three year old campaign last year.  It included a win in the LA Derby which allowed him to participate in all three TC races, and that would include finishing 3rd in the KYD. He’s actually only won once since the LA Derby, coming in a WO optional claimer this year.  It’s hard to get a handle on when Mars’ career started coming back to earth, because he has still been very competitive in the races he has been in.  This would seem to be a good spot for him as he is the best horse in this field.  He’s on the rail, and has no excuses.

#2- Th Watcher (John Henry, ridden by J E Ortiz)- The winner of the 2015 DMR Trials (which is a statement which must always include the disclaimer that the horse on top of the charts that day was a three year old, so Th Watcher was indeed first) has been able to have a better career then the 2014 winner, Islander Champion, but its fair to say that he too has had a similar disappointing fate given he won on the vaunted day for two year olds.  He’s been sold several times, and has had some close finishes, but still just two wins.  He is still racing, and has time to shed the “disappointment” label on him, and that could start right here.

#3- Akimbo (End Run Farm, ridden by A J Juarez Jr)- He has been around the NM bred circuit several times, running in several statebred stakes as a two year old which are highlighted by a pair of thirds.  During the spring of this year, however, he was at his best, and even returned to NM not for a statebred, but to push for the TC series in the Grade 3 SUN Derby.  That did not go well, but he rebounded in what is probably the best race of his career, running second in the TX Mile.  If that is where his past performances stopped, I would think a lot higher of him, but his last three races have all been subpar, including being beaten by six lengths in the Grade 3 Jones Stakes.  Sure, he won’t see Water Mummy here like he did there but Mars is certainly good enough.  To win, Akimbo needs to rediscover that TX Mile form.

#4- Clovis Ali (Night Rider Stables, ridden by O Cordova)- Last year, Clovis Ali picked up two NM-bred victories, including the $140.000 Eddy County Stakes right here at ZIA.   That was a good one, but is it still his moment of glory?  He was poor in the Sham Stakes in the race that followed and would be sold soon after.  Since being purchased by the current trainer, Clovis Ali has been ineffective.  However, Night Rider Stables has not backed down from his placement of this horse, and he has continued to run in ungraded events.  This is a small field, and he could get a piece.  Jockey O Cordova has struggled with just 2 wins in 35 starts at press time, and should listen to any advice he gets from the trainer in this race.

#5- B R Express (Drabfantasy, ridden by L Gamez)- The winner of the 2014 NM Classic Gulch Champ returns to try again.  He didn’t run in last year’s event.   When he won in 2014, it was just the second start of his career, and he did so by six lengths.   There was no one in the field with the talent level of Mars to deal with that day, however.  He’s won five of thirteen, and is coming off a win at the sloppy NM-bred Land Of Enchantment, a race in which he defeated Akimbo, though Akimbo clearly despises anything that is not fast/firm.   B R Express will stand to be the biggest challenger to Mars in this race, though I think it will be tough for him to take him down.

Prediction: 1-5-2-4

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded