Sunray Park’s Friday card is highlighted by the $70,000 New Mexico Breeders Stakes, a 400-yard event for three-year-old New Mexico-breds that brings together a competitive field of nine sophomores vying for top honors.

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By Stallionesearch / Louanne Wainscott

FARMINGTON, NM–April 9, 2026—The Friday afternoon card at Sunray Park will feature a ten-race program highlighted by the $70,000 New Mexico Breeders Stakes, a 400-yard test for three-year-old New Mexico-Breds that has drawn a competitive field of nine sophomores. Scheduled as race nine with an approximate post time of 4:35 PM, the event brings together proven stakes performers and emerging contenders looking to solidify their place among the state’s top runners.

Leading the field as the 7-2 morning line favorite is Woodcutt, a gelding who has quietly built a consistent résumé through six career starts. With two wins, a second, and a third to his credit, he has already proven himself against quality company, including appearances in both the New Mexico State Fair Juvenile and the RG2 New Mexico Spring Futurity. He capped his two-year-old season by breaking his maiden and returned for his three-year-old campaign at Sunland Park with authority, scoring against allowance non-winners of two. That victory pushed his earnings to $82,463 and stamped him as a legitimate contender in this stake’s lineup.

Sired by Woodbridge and out of Starsmith by Tres Seis, Woodcutt was bred in New Mexico by MJ Farms. He races for Homero Hermilo Campa-Mireles, who secured him for $58,000 at the Ruidoso Yearling Sale. Conditioned by Eric Valenzuela, the gelding will break from post five under jockey Jordy S. Muniz, a combination that will look to deliver a polished effort against a deep field.

The Ghan enters as a strong challenger at 4-1 on the morning line, bringing recent stakes experience into the race. The gelding began his three-year-old season with a solid showing in the RG2 $187,000 Shue Fly, where he qualified to the final and finished fourth, beaten less than a length after closing with determination. That effort demonstrated both his competitiveness and his ability to finish with interest late—qualities that could prove decisive at 400 yards.

Owned by All In Partners, The Ghan was purchased for $45,000 at the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale. He is sired by Big Daddy Cartel out of Polar Xpress by Freighttrain B and was bred in New Mexico by Bobby and Catherine Simmons. Trainer Wesly T. Giles will saddle the gelding from post six, with Noe Garcia, Jr. named to ride as they look to capitalize on his upward trajectory.

With a well-matched group of nine New Mexico-Breds set to line up, the $70,000 New Mexico Breeders Stakes promises a competitive and tightly contested sprint. Proven stakes form, emerging talent, and strong connections all converge in a race that could produce a defining performance for the New Mexico sophomore division.

The races at Sunray Park can be watched on Q-Racing Video.

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