Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino
Sunday, February 19, 2017
by Eric Alwan
My Bikini Fell Off wins $85,000 Peppers Pride Handicap
My Bikini Fell Off closed furiously in the final furlong to win the $85,000 Peppers Pride Handicap at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino on Sunday.
Under jockey Ry Eikleberry, the highly capable New Mexico-bred daughter of Elusive Jazz, inhaled her rivals in deep stretch to win the one mile feature. Let go at 9-2 odds, My Bikini Fell Off defeated Sunday Rose by a half-length at the wire and paid $11.00 to win. The multiple stakes winner trained by Bart Hone won her second straight race and eighth overall from 24 starts.
The sprinter turned router unleashed a 7-wide move into the stretch run before pushing by her opponents. She earned $51,000 for owner Brian Mundell of El Paso, Texas. The six-year-old mare is one of the more accomplished New Mexico-bred mares in training with career earnings of over $367,000.
Sunday Rose ran her heart out and finished a gallant second for trainer Simon Buechler. Desert Stepper loomed large at the top of the stretch but did not have the answers. The Desert God mare finished third, beaten a length.
4-5 favorite Zasha led early but could not sustain enough cruising speed and gave way in sixth place.
Photos courtesy of: Coady Photography
