Hayley’s Halo, Twelve Twenty Two Meet In First Lady Handicap at Ruidoso Downs

The Henry Dominguez-trained pair of Czaria Stakes winner Hayley’s Halo and Harry Henson Handicap winner Twelve Twenty Two meet over six furlongs in the $40,000 First Lady Handicap on Monday afternoon.

First post time is 1 p.m. for the 10-race card on Memorial Day. There is always free parking and free general admission at Ruidoso Downs.

Racing then resumes on Friday afternoon and continues with the usual Friday through Monday schedule that was instituted this year.

Lathrop Hoffman’s homebred Hayley’s Halo has been a dominant force in New Mexico filly and mare division with five wins and third behind Twelve Twenty Two in her latest six starts. The filly stood out in the Czaria when she humbled her rivals through the stretch to win by an expanding seven-and-one-half lengths as the 7-10 favorite.

Her only setback during her current hot streak came two starts ago when she set the pace in the Harry Henson and could not maintain her advantage and settled for third place. Before the Harry Henson she won three straight stakes races – Chaves County Stakes, Zia Distaff and El Dario Stakes.

Regular rider Alejandro Medellin will be up on Hayley’s Halo with the inside post position.

Owned by Dominguez with J. Kirk Robison, Twelve Twenty Two took on Grade 1 company in the Humana Distaff at Churchill Downs and faded to seventh from a competitive position in her most recent effort.

She earned her trip to Kentucky with a 4-race winning streak, capped by her win in the Harry Henson. She stalked the leader and then drew out to win by more than five lengths.

Twelve Twenty Two won three straight allowance races by a combined 20 lengths at Sunland Park before winning the Henson.