A Joyous Win in Senora By Steve Bortstein For The Daily Times
FARMINGTON -- Just one day removed from a potential boycott by riders, there was little evidence of anything wrong Sunday afternoon at SunRay Park and Casino. In fact, it was business as usual for jockeys, horsemen and nearly 2400 fans in attendance who watched trainer Carl Draper and his 4-year-old quarter horse star Jenuine Joy win her fourth straight race in taking top honors in the $75,000 Four Corners Senora Stakes under pilot Ricky Ramirez. Jenuine Joy, who has now won four of five lifetime starts, made a spalshy impression in her stakes debut Sunday, overcoming a bit of a sidestep at the break before inching past Flicka De Fly and her rider Alonso Rivera. The New Mexico-bred daughter of Genuine Strawfly padded her liftime earnings to just over $101,000 for owner Fredda Draper. "She's really just getting good right now," said assistant trainer Jed Vane after the race. "Ever since she broke her maiden (last January at Sunland Park), she's really shown us a lot and we're excited to see where she'll go next." Ramirez, coming off a strong season at Sunland Park, which closed their 2009-10 season last week, was also impressed with Jenuine Joy's ability. "She got away a little slow, but she's real good when you get her going," Ramirez said. Jenuine Joy was sent off as the favorite at odds of 1.20-to-1 and returned $4,40 for every $2 win bet. The winner ran the 400 yards in a tail-wind aided time of 19.37 seconds while Flicka De Fly nosed out BP Shes Southern for the place. Blushing Cartel, My Box of Chocolate and Southern Discomfort rounded out the Senora field.
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There was still a great deal of chatter around the track regarding the one-day shutdown of racing after a jockey's strike forced SunRay to call off the Saturday card. Most opinions seemed to be that, while ill-timed, the jockey's attempt to seek more money on mount fees is a topic worthy of dicussion, but should have done away from the spotlight of a weekend racing day. "There was a better way for the riders to do this," said one trainer who wished to remain anonymous. "You can justify a lot of things to yourself in the heat of the moment, but when you're hurting the fans, that's when you cross the line."
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A huge week of racing, both locally and nationally, gets started Thursday at SunRay Park and Casino. The Russell and Helen Foutz Distaff Handicap, which was cancelled Saturday with the jockey's strike, will be run this Friday when SunRay will run the entire card which was scheduled for that day. In addition, there will be plenty of racing around the country on Friday as well, with 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra set to make her second start of the year in the La Troienne Stakes at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY. Post times Thursday and Friday are set for 2:15 p.m. Saturday, there will be an early post time for the live SunRay card of 1 p.m. The 136th running of the Kentucky Derby will be one of many highlights that day. Lookin At Lucky, trained by Bob Baffert, is expected to be the solid favorite in the Run for the Roses on Saturday. Lookin At Lucky was last year's champion 2-year-colt and also a recent winner of the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark.. He followed the race with a troubled third place finish in the Santa Anita Derby in Arcadia, Calif. Lookin At Lucky is scheduled to be ridden by Garrett Gomez. The role of favoritism changed dramatically early Sunday morning when trainer Todd Pletcher announced that Wood Memorial Stakes winner Eskendereya was being withdrawn from the Derby with swelling in his front left leg. Pletcher said that he hoped the injury was "not career-threatening," but said it was too early to tell.
© 2012
