Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino
Friday, March 21, 2025
Let Him Be powers home in stretch to win $90,000 Mt. Cristo Rey Stakes
V Bar V Racing, LLC’s Let Him Be powered past his rivals in stretch on his way to a decisive win for trainer Joel Marr in Friday’s 19th running of the $90,000 Mt. Cristo Rey Stakes at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino.
The 5-year-old son of Sway Away, ridden by Miguel Fuentes, Jr., stalked Leave Them Behind and jockey Enrique Gomez in the early stages of the 5 1-2 furlong contest. Let Him Be inched closer to that rival around the far turn just to that one’s outside. Approaching the top of the lane, Let Him Be raced alongside the leader before gradually pulling clear inside the final furlong.
Let Him Be crossed the finish line more than three lengths in front, stopping the clock in a time of 1 minute, 2.23 seconds. It was one of the all-time fastest 5 and ½ furlong timings in Sunland Park history. The track record is held by Fearless Anthony in 1:01.62 seconds back in 2008.
Winning for the 12th time from 14 career starts, Let Him Be extends his current win streak to four in a row, including his most recent start over this course in the Jamison Memorial Stakes last month. He is now a six-time stakes winner with lifetime earnings approaching $600,000. He is a perfect 5-for-5 at Sunland Park which includes a win in last year’s New Mexico State University Handicap.
Sent off as the 1-to-2 favorite in the Mt. Cristo Rey, Let Him Be returned $3 to his winning backers. The $2 exacta with Leave Them Behind paid $19.60. Marking Canyon finished third with Higher Ed rounding out the top four finishers.
Scratches of Beach Runner, Still In The Trap and Henry On The Run reduced the Mt. Cristo Rey Stakes field to nine runners.
Live racing at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino resumes Saturday at 12:25 p.m.
