Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino
Friday, February 7, 2025
Let Him Be holds off late challenge in $90,000 Jamison Memorial Stakes
V Bar V Racing, LLC’s Let Him Be continues his dominance among New Mexico-bred older runners, holding off a late charge from I Think I’m Here to win Friday’s 22nd running of the $90,000 Jamison Memorial Stakes under jockey Miguel Fuentes, Jr. at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino.
Let Him Be raced on the lead virtually every step of the 6 1/2 furlong journey, dueling with Marking Canyon down the backstretch through a quick opening half-mile timed in 45.63 seconds. Fuentes put that one away at the top of the lane, appeared to inch clear midstretch before urging the 4-to-5 post time favorite in the final yards to hold off the late rally of I Think I’m Here to win by a half-length. Let Him Be crossed the finish line in a time of 1 minute, 16.44 seconds.
The 5-year-old New Mexico-bred son of Sway Away has never lost in four starts at Sunland Park and recorded his 11th win from 13 career outings. He has now won three straight races, his most recent win coming in the Zia Sprint Stakes last November at Zia Park. Trained by Joel Marr, Let Him Be has amassed career earnings of more than $544,000.
Let Him Be paid $3.60 to his winning backers. The $2 exacta with I Think I’m Here and jockey Alfredo Juarez, Jr. paid $10.20. Diabolical Storm finished third while Marking Canyon rounded out the top four finishers.
Blue Devil pulls clear late to win $65,000 Winsham Lad Stakes
Earlier on the Friday program, Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen teamed with jockey Alfredo Juarez, Jr. for an impressive win by Blue Devil in the 48th running of the $65,000 Winsham Lad Stakes. Owned by MyRacehorse and Rocket Ship Racing, LLC, Blue Devil was always in contention during the one-mile event, battling down the backstretch in close proximity of the pacesetting duo of Alotaluck and Apollo Rising. Midway around the far turn, Blue Devil inched his way to the front, eventually pulling clear in deep stretch to finish first, 2 1/4 lengths ahead of Alotaluck, ridden by Tracy Hebert. The winner stopped the clock in a final time of 1 minute, 36.71 seconds.
Making his Sunland Park debut a winning effort, Blue Devil’s win in the Winsham Lad snapped a five-race losing streak for the 6-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Uncle Mo. His most recent victory was against allowance company in August 2023 at Saratoga in New York. The win gives Blue Devil four wins from 18 career starts and earnings of more than $396,000.
Sent off as the second choice on the board at odds of 3.20-to-1, Blue Devil returned $8.40 to his winning backers. The $2 exacta with post-time favorite Alotaluck paid $11.40. Apollo Rising held on for third with Bender rounding out the top four finishers.
First post time for Saturday’s nine-race card is scheduled for 12:25 p.m. Five trials for the West Texas Derby, which will go as races 4 through 8, headline the Saturday program.
