Graded stakes winner Play Misty Foreme drew post 4 for Sunday’s 440-yard, $85,000 Dona Ana County Handicap (R) for New Mexico-breds at Sunland Park.

© Coady Photography

SUNLAND PARK, NM—JANUARY 25, 2018—Robert D. Smith’s Play Misty Foreme, a graded stakes winner during the meet, drew post 4 for Sunday’s 440-yard, $85,000 Dona Ana County Handicap (R) for New Mexico-breds at Sunland Park.

A 5-year-old son of Jesse James Jr trained by Jose Luis Muela, Play Misty Foreme is coming off of a half-length victory in the 400-yard, $85,000 Jess Burner Memorial Handicap (RG1) on December 16. The gelding has won seven of 20 starts and has earned $283,266.

Jose Luis Enriquez will ride Play Misty Foreme. The gelding’s nine opponents include Major Bites, a 5-year-old Jesse James Jr gelding trained by Jesus Carrete for owner Israel Bordier. The 5-2 morning-line favorite and runner-up to Play Misty Foreme in the Jess Burner, Major Bites is coming off of a 2017 campaign during which he scored a half-length victory at odds of 10-1 in the 440-yard, $170,000 Namehimastreaker New Mexico Cup Championship (RG1) at Zia Park on October 29.

Major Bites drew post 2 and will be ridden by Jose Alvarez.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey and weight assignments and morning-line odds:

1. Princess Jesse (Alfredo Sigala, 126), 7-2
2. Major Bites (Jose Alvarez, 126), 5-2
3. Woody Can Do (Alonso Rivera, 122), 20-1
4. Play Misty Foreme (Jose Luis Enriquez, 126), 5-1
5. Hot Authorization (Raul Herrera, 124), 10-1
6. Buildem Fast (Luis Apodaca, 123), 8-1
7. Yudes Jess Dashin (Felipe Garcia-Luna, 125), 5-1
8. Altitude Project (Manuel Gutierrez, 123), 15-1
9. Cartels Star Daddy (Jaime Parga Leos, 125), 6-1
10. A Sure First (Mauro Salcedo, 123), 20-1