HOBBS – Sent off as the second-longest shot in the seven horse field, Todd Cady and Ty Leatherman’s Two Rivers Over inched clear in the final yards to post an upset win in the $300,000 Zia Park Derby, the headline event of a massive stakes program for open thoroughbreds Tuesday at Zia Park Racetrack and Casino.

The Tuesday card, which spotlighted many of the Southwest’s best racehorses, was the final act of a three-day weekend of racing that featured New Mexico’s best thoroughbreds and quarter horses. In all, the three days saw more than 20 stakes races with purses totaling over $3.5 million being held at Zia Park.

Two Rivers Over, making his first start against stakes company, was never far back behind a moderate pace under Luis Fuentes. No White Flags assumed the early lead and led the field narrowly at the half-mile marker. Fuentes guided the 3-year-old son of Tamarkuz to the lead around the far turn and inched clear inside the final furlong.

At the wire, Two Rivers Over crossed the finish line two lengths in front, stopping the clock in a time of 1 minute, 41.25 seconds, breaking the track record for 1 1/16 miles, which was set by Alert Bay in 2014.

Trained by Doug O’Neill, Two Rivers Over posted the fourth win of his 13-race career. His most recent outing was a half-length victory in a 1-mile allowance race at Del Mar on Sept. 10. He has won four of his past five starts after starting his career at various tracks like Ellis Park in Henderson, Kentucky, as well as Indiana Grand Racecourse and the Fair Grounds Racecourse in New Orleans. Tuesday’s win increases Two Rivers Over’s lifetime earnings to more than $313,800.

In other stakes action on Tuesday, trainer Todd Fincher’s Flying Connection rolled to an impressive, 5-length victory in the $300,000 Zia Park Oaks under jockey Joel Rosario. In doing so, the daughter of Nyquist managed to capture the two biggest stakes prizes for 3-year-old fillies in the state, having won the Sunland Park Oaks earlier this year.

Owned by Brad King, Randy Andrews, G. Chris Coleman, Jim Cone, Suzanne Kirby and Lee Lewis, Flying Connection was never far back of the early lead, which was contested by Pepper Mill and Halosnheaven. As the field raced toward the far turn, Rosario guided Flying Connection to the lead. She drew clear inside the final furlong, winning for the sixth time from 12 career starts.

Flying Connection ran the 1 1/16 miles in a time of 1:42.29, earning more than $174,000 in the process. The Oaks victory pads her lifetime bankroll to more than $557,000.

For Fincher, the win by Flying Connection capped off a big weekend for the veteran trainer, who won six races over the three-day weekend. Fincher, the leading thoroughbred trainer this season at Zia Park, is on pace to shatter his personal record for most winners in a calendar year.

Last year, Fincher’s runners reached the winner’s circle 104 times. With several weeks of racing still to go at Zia Park, Fincher has 95 winners this year with earnings of more than $5.2 million.

For more information on the entire Tuesday card of racing at Zia Park, check out the results page at equibase.com.

Monday’s New Mexico Classic Cup thoroughbred program featured several stakes races with some of the best state-bred racehorses, and was a highlight day for Fincher, who saddled a pair of winners.

Community Leader avenged an earlier loss while running his career mark to six wins from seven starts when he beat Milk It by 3 lengths in the $150,000 New Mexico Classic Cup Juvenile Championship.

Ridden by Felipe Valdez, the son of Diabolical was prominent throughout, chasing Milk It down the backstretch in the 6-furlong contest. Community Leader cruised to the lead, entering the top of the lane and pulled clear as the second choice in the wagering at odds of 1.30-to-1, stopping the timer in 1 minute, 8.7 seconds.

The win in the Juvenile Championship added $90,000 to the bankroll of Community Leader, owned by Kirk and Judy Robison. His lifetime earnings now are over $267,000.

Fincher’s other stakes winner on the Monday card came with Doer Not A Faker, who scored a narrow win in the $150,000 New Mexico Classic Cup Oaks Championship. Also owned by the Robison family, the 3-year-old daughter of Diabolical battled on the front end from start to finish in the 6-furlong event, edging out long shot First Again by a head at the finish line. Doer Not A Faker recorded her fourth win from 10 career starts and increased her lifetime earnings to more than $203,000.

In other Classic Cup Day highlights, the featured race of the afternoon presented an upset when Ancient Land scored at odds of 14-1 in the $200,000 Rocky Gulch New Mexico Classic Cup Championship under jockey Ernesto Valdez-Jiminez.

Trained by Casey Lambert for owners Martin Riley, D.L. Carroll, C.W. Scott. and J.D. Howard, Ancient Land saved ground early while battling for the early lead after a quick half-mile timed in 46.5 seconds. The 6-year-old son of Monterey Jazz was swung to the outside while behind a trio of horses around the far turn, rallied and put a head in front with 100 yards to go before drawing off to win by two lengths over Henry On The Run.

Ancient Land picked up his ninth win from 26 career starts. His last victory came over a sloppy track last summer at Ruidoso Downs in the Land of Enchantment Stakes. His win was worth more than $116,000 to his winning connections and pads his career bankroll to more than $404,000.

The top four finishers in the contest were all sent off at odds of 10-1 or higher. Ancient Land’s win returned $30.80 to his winning backers. The $2 exacta with Henry On The Run was worth $773.60. All Chrome finished third and Spinning Black rounded out the top four finishers.

Celio Trujillo, Jr.’s, Strawberry Whisky snapped a seven-race losing streak when he pulled clear in the stretch to win the New Mexico Classic Cup Sprint Championship under jockey Aldo Arboleda, winning the race for the second year in a row.

The 6-year-old son of Fusaichi Zenon hadn’t won a race in more than 365 days, his last victory coming in the Sprint Championship on Oct. 30, 2022. Strawberry Whisky dueled for the lead early and was never headed, drawing off in the final yards to win by 1 3/4 lengths over Diabolical Storm.

Sent off at odds of nearly 11-1, Strawberry Whisky returned $23.60 to his winning backers. The $2 exacta with the top two finishers came back $182.80.

For more information on Monday’s New Mexico Classic Cup program, check out the official charts and results page at equibase.com.