Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino
Friday, February 23, 2018
by Eric Alwan
Jockey Manuel Gutierrez boots home 5 winners on Friday
Quarter Horse riding sensation Manuel Gutierrez won 5 races on Friday’s card. The winning rider of the $350,000 Championship at Sunland Park last December was absolutely on fire during the 9-race card.
Gutierrez won the first two races with Flashin On By ($20.00) and Sandys Hero ($7.80), respectively. He resumed another hot streak winning races 5 through 7. Gutierrez earned a dead-heat for first with Unintymidated in the 5th race, and then won aboard Seis Menudos ($5.40 ) in the 6th race and Jess Bordeaux ($14.20) in the 7th race.
Gutierrez leads all Sunland Park Quarter Horse riders with 16 wins and mount earnings of over $410,000.
Nationally ranked Justify pointing towards $800,000 Sunland Derby (Gr. III)
The highly impressive 3-year-old Justify is targeting the $800,000 Sunland Derby (Gr. III) on Sunday, March 25 as his next race.
Ranked 8th on the Daily Racing Form’s Derby Watch by Jay Privman and Mike Watchmaker, Justify earned a 104 Beyer speed figure while winning his career debut by nearly 10 lengths at Santa Anita Park on Feb. 18. The blazingly fast son of Scat Daddy is trained by Bob Baffert who has won the Sunland Derby (Gr. III) four times. Justify is owned by WinStar Farm and China Horse Club.
The $100,000 Mine That Bird Derby will be run on Sunday at one mile and one-sixteenth and is the final local prep for the Sunland Derby (Gr. III).
Live racing resumes on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.
Photo Credit: Coady Photography
