FARMINGTON – Valentino Who, a massive upset winner in the New Mexico Breeders’ Derby last time out at Sunland Park, has been installed as the 3-to-1 morning line favorite for the $100,000 Diné Sakes on Sunday at SunRay Park and Casino.
Owned by Juan Carlos Gutierrez and trained by Jose Gonzalez, Valentino Who rallied from far back to just get past Still in the Trap in the shadow of the wire under jockey Jose Vazquez in the New Mexico Breeders Derby on March 26. Sent off at odds of nearly 45-to-1 that day, the son of Comfort picked up just his third win from nine lifetime starts when posting the upset score.
Valentino Who will break from post seven in the Diné, with Vazquez again getting back aboard. He will face seven rivals in the 6½-furlong event, including morning-line second choice George Who, looking to snap a four-race losing streak.
Owned by Sam and Sammy Stevens, George Who was fourth in the New Mexico Breeders’ Derby last time out. The son of Abstraction finished fourth in the Corralito Steak House Stakes at Sunland Park on Jan. 8 and was fourth in the Hobbs Fall Classic Stakes at Zia Park on Dec. 12, 2022.
George Who will be ridden by Felipe Valdez for leading thoroughbred trainer Todd Fincher.
Smartsrealgood, the third choice on the morning line at odds of 9-to-2, is also looking to get back in the winners circle after losing each of his last three starts. The son of Sway Away owns a pair of wins last year as a 2-year-old, including the New Mexico Classic Cup Juvenile Stakes last October.
Smartsrealgood is trained by Greg Green and will be ridden by his regular pilot Francisco Amparan.
A pair of intriguing runners could provide a similar upset scenario in the Diné, with both rail sitter New Mexico Jeremy and lightly raced Ar Ya Weegee set to load into the starting gate.
Trained by Andres Gonzalez and slated to be ridden by Alejandro Medellin, New Mexico Jeremy wilted after dueling for the lead through a fast opening half-mile in an allowance race at Sunland Park last time out. The son of Shame On Charlie is a two-time winner from 13 career starts and has been listed at 8-to-1 on the morning line.
Ar Ya Weegee has only raced four times, but he comes off a devastating win over this course last time out on April 9 and could be on the upswing for trainer Gary Cross. The son of To Teras will be ridden by Jorge Carreno and will break from post three as the fifth choice in the morning line at 7-to-1 odds.
The Diné will go as the ninth race on Sunday’s 10-race program which will get underway at 2:15 p.m. Post time for the Diné is scheduled for 5:59 p.m. Racing at SunRay Park and Casino will continue through Sunday, May 21.
