Racing


Jm Country Man Wins First Stakes Race of SunRay Park Season
Jm Country Man, under jockey Mauro Salcedo, winning the $30,000 Animas Stakes Friday afternoon at SunRay Park.

© Coady Photography
Jm Country Man Wins First Stakes Race of SunRay Park Season

FARMINGTON, NM—APRIL 21, 2017—It was a thrilling finish in Friday’s feature race to start the 2017 SunRay Park meet as Jm Country Man narrowly defeated rivals in the $30,000 Animas Stakes. Jm Country Man ($4.60) and jockey Mauro Salcedo covered the 400 yards in 19.576 for trainer Cynthia Gonzales and owner J and M Racing and Farm, earning a 94 speed index.

The Mr Jess Perry gelding is out of the graded stakes winning mare Sumokin, by Country Chicks Man. He was bred in Arkansas by Corner K Quarter Horses, LLC.

As a 2-year-old, Jm Country Man broke his maiden in the $224,558 La Fiesta Futurity at Albuquerque last September. He returned in the track in February to win an allowance race at Sunland before entering the Animas as the morning line and post-time favorite. The highest money-earner in the field, Jm Country Man now has $147,539 in lifetime earnings.

Highest Return and jockey Ruben Calderon led the Animas until they were caught at the wire by Jm Country Man. Highest Return is trained by Eric Daniel Marquez and owned by Marquez Racing, LLC.

The winning connections of Jm Country Man accept the Animas Stakes trophy on Friday afternoon.
© Coady Photography

Bred by Cnn Breeding in Oklahoma, Highest Return is by High Rate Of Return and is out of the Major Rime mare Cute N Rimen.

Third-place finisher Mahoney and Tacklebery entered the Animas as the second-highest money earner after a second-place finish in the Bitterroot Futurity at Sandy Downs and competing in the Southwest Juvenile Championship Stakes (G1) at Zia Park in December. Ridden by Alfredo Sigala and trained by Todd Fincher, Mahoney N Tacklebery is owned by Ben Peterson and was bred by Spence Peterson in Utah.

Mahoney N Tacklebery is by Favorite Cartel, out of the Jess Louisiana Blue mare Fountain Bleu. Fountain Bleu is a half-sister to 2006 Ruidoso Futurity (G1) winner Saint Shackleton, also bred by Spence Peterson.

Completing the field were Kick Some Dash, Dash Ta Desirio, Jm Billy the Kid, Attack the Wind, Just a Little Wagon, Sheza Special Girl and Go Daddy Gone.