Saturday, February 28, 2026
Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino
Traxion impressive in Grade 3 $190,212 West Texas Derby
Traxion, ridden by Jesse Levario for trainer Jorge Morales-Flores, earned the second stakes win of his career Saturday at Sunland Park, inching clear in the shadow of the finish line to capture the 62nd running of the Grade 3 $190,212 West Texas Derby.
Owned by Abraham Escobedo, the Texas-bred gelding by Freighttrain B broke well from the starting gate and was always within range as the field raced for home. Levario asked for more in the final yards and Traxion delivered, winning by a length over post time favorite London Bridge and jockey Luis Valenzuela. Traxion crossed the finish line in an impressive time of 19.01 seconds over 400 yards on a fast track earning a stellar 103 speed index with no wind blowing.
Traxion has now won four times from six career starts. Saturday’s victory in the West Texas Derby is his second graded stakes win, coming off an impressive performance in the Grade 3 $457,000 La Fiesta Futurity last fall at Albuquerque Downs. He qualified for the West Texas Derby when he won his trial heat over this course on Feb. 7.
With career earnings of more than $332,000, Traxion has more than earned his price tag of $22,000 for which he was purchased from breeder Bobby Cox at the 2024 Heritage Place September Yearling Sale. The winner earned $89,469 on Saturday.
Sent off at odds of 3.30-to-1, Traxion returned $8.80 to his winning backers. The $2 exacta with London Bridge paid back $21.60. Ring A Ling Ding finished third with Expenssive Boots rounding out the top four finishers.
Regarding Jess was an early scratch from the West Texas Derby, which featured a field of nine starters.
Lovely Josie James storms home late to win $80,000 Sunburst Stakes
In earlier stakes action, Lovely Josie James roared down the center of the racetrack and rallied for a narrow victory in the 16th running of the $80,000 Sunburst Stakes under jockey Jose Ortiz.
Trained by Ramon Mendoza for owners Tungsten Racing Partnership, Lovely Josie James was third early before storming home on the outside part of the track, edging out Czar Catrina at the wire to win by a head. The 3-year-old New Mexico-bred filly by Suspicious Interest stopped the time in 17.21 for 350 yards on a fast track.
Lovely Josie James has now won three races in a row, dating back to her maiden win at Zia Park last fall. Last time out, she captured an allowance race at Zia before earning her first career stakes score in the Grade 3 event restricted to New Mexico-bred 3-year-old fillies.
Purchased for $100,000 at the 2024 Ruidoso New Mexico Bred QH Yearling Sale, Lovely Josie James earned $48,000 for her win in the Sunburst Stakes, bringing her lifetime earnings to more than $162,000.
Sent off as the slight post time favorite at odds of 3.20-to-1, Lovely Josie James paid $8.40 to her winning backers. The $2 exacta with Czar Catrina paid $85.20. Ivorys Patriot finished third with Happyour rounding out the top four finishers.
Live racing resumes on Sunday with an all-Thoroughbred card at 12:25 p.m.
