Coady Photography - Michael Cusortelli for SureBet

Imco Spirit Breaks Track Record in Premiere Cup

Hobbs, NM – Sept. 11,2011 - Imco Spirit (IRE), a 5-year-old gelding racing for J. Kirk and Judy Robison and Solitaire Stable, broke Zia Park's 6-furlong track record in Sunday's $100,000 Premiere Cup Handicap at the New Mexico track.

Saddled by Henry Dominguez and ridden by Miguel Perez, Imco Spirit covered the three-quarter mile distance in 1:07.13, besting the previous record of 1:08.60 by more than one-and-a-half seconds. The gelding was sent to post at odds of 9-1, and his winning margin was four lengths from 3-10 favorite Native Ruler.

Imco Spirit was bred in Ireland, and he is one of 45 stakes winners from 692 starters sired by Invincible Spirit (IRE), a 14-year-old son of the Danzig stallion Green Desert. To date, Invincible Spirit has sired the earners of more than $30.7 million, and he stands at the Irish National Stud at Kildare, Ireland.

The Premiere Cup marked Imco Spirit's first start since April 17, when the gelding ran sixth in the 1 1/8-mile, $100,000 Sunland Park Handicap. All told, he has won six of 25 races, and the $60,000 winner's share of the Premiere Cup pushed his bankroll to $285,317.

Imco Spirit has won two stakes, including last year's 1 1/8-mile, $218,000 Zia Park Distance Championship Handicap.

Pack Your Bags finished third, 4 ¼ lengths behind Imco Spirit. Stephengothisstar, Bonndaddy's, Remus and Tactful completed the order of finish.

Runner-up Native Ruler was coming off of a second-place finish to Tend in the August 6, $85,000 Sen. Robert C. Byrd Memorial Handicap at Mountaineer Park in West Virginia. Racing for Maggi Moss, the 7-year-old stallion by Elusive Quality has earned $701,296 from 40 outs, and his 17 victories include the last two runnings of the 6 1/2-furlong Don Bernhardt Stakes at Ellis Park in Kentucky.

Pack Your Bags is a 6-year-old Flying Contintental gelding campaigned by Stable HMA. Pack Your Bags has won six of 42 starts and has banked $201,154, and the Premiere Cup marked the gelding's first out against stakes company.