Racing


Good Job Honey Slight Surprise In Grade 3 West Texas Derby
Good Job Honey, under jockey Felipe Garcia-Luna, wins the 53rd running of the West Texas Derby(G3) at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino Sunday afternoon.

© Coady Photography
Good Job Honey Slight Surprise In Grade 3 West Texas Derby

SUNLAND PARK, NM—MAY 1, 2016—Good Job Honey (9-1) scored her sixth career win on Sunday afternoon following an outstanding performance in the $160,975 53rd running of the West Texas Derby(G3) at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino.

The 3-year-old filly, by leading second crop sire Freighttrain B, closed well to defeat Bf Foosergeous by a neck. Nexxus finished another neck back in the blanket finish for third.

Good Job Honey flew down the outside post under jockey Felipe Garcia-Luna to complete the 400 yards in :19.762 seconds into a 5 mph headwind.

Saddled by Miguel Castillo, Good Job Honey picked up her sixth career win in nine starts. The $75,623 West Texas winners' purse boosted her career total to $182,388. Owned by Shirley Grisham and J Bar 7 Ranch, LLC the brown filly is expected to make her next start in the Grade 1 Ruidoso Derby trials later this month.

Co-owner Shirley Grisham and her husband Ken, winning trainer Miguel Castillo and jockey Felipe Garcia-Luna accept the West Texas Derby stakes trophy at Sunland Park Sunday afternoon. © Coady Photography
Co-owner J Bar 7 Ranch, LLC bred Good Job Honey in Texas from the Shazoom mare Ally Kazaam. Last year she won the $100,000 Four Corners Futurity(G3) at SunRay Park and was fourth in the Grade 1 $255,000 Southwest Juvenile Championship at Zia Park.

Birrell Farms' homebred Bf Bf Foosergeous finished second for only the second time in her eight-race career. Jason Giles conditions the daughter of leading sire Foose from the Proudest Effort mare Bf Outrageous. A two-time stakes winner last season, the sorrel filly earned $28,962 today to bring her earnings total to $80,433. Adrian Ramos had the riding call.

Nexxus races for owner/breeder Gerardo Medina Luna and trainer Juan Gonzalez. Salvador Martinez was aboard the Tempting Dash colt out of Miss Kips Streakin, by Streakin Sixes. Nexxus has compiled a (7) 1-1-3 record and added $17,699 today to boost his earning mark to $57,629.

Posttime favorite and fastest qualifier Boxwineizfine weakened under jockey Esgar Ramirez to finish fourth. Completing the field were California King, Undaunted, First Note Medley, Rocky El Roble, Silver Tarzan and Jm Mr Evan.

Reminder that Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino’s closing day is Tuesday, May 3 with an all-Thoroughbred card featuring three stakes races and mandatory payouts in the $.20 Solo 6 ($7,671 carryover in race 5) and the $.50 Super Hi 5 ($711 carryover in race 10).