Staff Report:
Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino
Sunday, April 3, 2022
Bye Corona Bye demolishes rivals in the Grade 2 $217,543 West Texas Futurity
Jesses Wish outnods longshot Cruzin for Chicks to win $313,209 New Mexican Spring Futurity
It took only a few strides out of the starting gate for Bye Corona Bye to prove his dominance, as the Texas-bred son of Ivory James crushed his rivals in the 62nd running of the $217,543 West Texas Futurity (Grade II) on Sunday’s closing day program at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino.
Ridden by Juan Pulido for owner Carlos Ponce and trainer Josue Ponce, Bye Corona Bye broke sharply from the starting gate and established his dominance within a few strides, opening up on the field as he crossed the wire 1 1/4 lengths in front of his competition, stopping the clock in a fast final time of 14.95 seconds and earning an Equibase Speed Index figure of 107. The finish time is just two-fifths of a second off the course record, set by Valiant War Hero in 2011.
Unbeaten after both of his career starts, Bye Corona Bye was the fastest qualifier for the West Texas Futurity when trials were held here on March 11, winning his trial by 1 1/2 lengths while making his debut in a time of 15.43 seconds. Sent off at odds of 3.20-to-1, Bye Corona Bye returned $8.40 to his winning backers.
A $22,000 Texas Quarter Horse Association Yearling Sale purchase and bred by William Reeder, Bye Corona Bye’s win in the West Texas Futurity has more than returned a fair share of the investment, as his earnings exceed $107,400.
Blood N Pepper rallied for second place under jockey Mario Delgado. The all-Josue Ponce trained exacta paid $50.40 on a $2 ticket.
Kj Bootscootin Jess finished third with A Little Tempting rounding out the top four.
Jockey Mario Delgado and post time favorite Jesses Wish prevailed by a neck in a thrilling duel down the stretch over longshot Cruzin For Chicks in Sunday’s co-featured event, the 26th running of the $313,209 New Mexican Spring Futurity (R-Gr II).
Owned by Javier M. Chavez and Heysol Howlet and trained by James J. Gonzalez, III, Jesses Wish dueled the length of the stretch with Cruzin For Chicks, ridden by Cordarelton Benn for trainer Wes Giles. The state-bred son of Jesse James Jr got his nose down on the wire first, winning by a neck in a final time of 15.07 seconds and earning an Equibase Speed Index figure of 103.
A $50,000 Ruidoso New Mexico Bred Quarter Horse Yearling Sale purchase, Jesses Wish runs his career record to 2-for-2 after breaking his maiden in his career debut when winning his trial here on March 12. Bred by MJ Farms, Jesses Wish pads his lifetime earnings to more than $152,400. Sent off as the 7-to-5 post time favorite, Jesses Wish returned $4.80 to his winning backers. Cruzin For Chicks, sent off at odds of 27-to-1, ran too well to lose but settled for second. The $2 exacta returned $79.40.
Major Game and jockey Sergio Dominguez finished third with Mr Tres Effort and Luis Angel Flores-Garcia rounding out the top four finishers.
