Bonndaddy’s, Lefty Who Meet In Sierra Blanca on Fourth of July

RUIDOSO DOWNS, New Mexico (July 1, 2011) – Bonndaddy’s returns from a win in the Mount Cristo Handicap to face defending winner Lefty Who over five-and-one-half furlongs in the $50,000 Sierra Blanca Handicap for New Mexico-breds on the Fourth Of July.

The nine-race Monday program starts at 1 p.m. and the Sierra Blanca runs as the eighth-race. There is always free parking and free general admission at Ruidoso Downs.

The consistent Bonndaddy’s, owned by Double Kee and Grissom Racing, is on a roll with nine straight top-three finishes dating back nearly a year. He stepped up in his latest two starts at Sunland Park with a pair of wins, capped by taking the Mount Cristo Handicap.

In the four-and-one-half furlong dash he rallied from sixth position at the top of the stretch to win by one-and-one-half lengths.

The O. Dwain Grissom-trained Bonndaddy’s has been handed high weight of 123 pounds, including jockey Dusty Shepherd, and starts from the second post position in the eight-horse field.

Sam Stevens’ homebred Lefty Who, by Quinton's Gold, has earned $635,994 throughout his career and has fared exceptionally well at Ruidoso Downs with four wins and a third from five local starts.

The Joel Marr-trained gelding won last year’s Sierra Blanca with a wide move from just off the pace as the 8-5 favorite. He prevailed by a neck for his most recent win.

While Lefty Who has been winless in his seven starts – each at longer distances since his Sierra Blanca win, he has been on the board five times with a third-place run in the New Mexico State University Handicap two starts ago.
Carlos Madeira rides Lefty Who with the seventh post position.

Chuchuluco, owned by West Texas Racing Partners, also tries a shorter distance after finishing fourth in the Jack Cole Handicap over one mile at SunRay Park on May 7. Two starts ago he took a six-furlong optional claiming race at Sunland Park after dueling on the lead and pulling away through the stretch.

Trainer Todd Fincher has named Juan Ochoa to ride Chuchuluco with the inside post position.

Ruidoso Downs is dark after Monday’s card and then resumes on Friday with one of the most influential racing programs of the season. The nation’s leading two-year-old quarter horses will be racing in the day-long trials to the Rainbow Futurity. The horses with the 10-fastest times qualify for the Grade 1, $700,000 Rainbow Futurity, the second leg of the All American Triple Crown, on July 25.