Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino (Saturday, March 22, 2008)

A First Caller takes $100,000 Mesilla Valley Speed Handicap

 

 

A First Caller blasted away to a one and one-half length win in the $100,000

Mesilla Valley Speed Handicap at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino on Saturday.

 

Under the meet’s leading Quarter Horse jockey Ricky Ramirez, A First Caller broke

like a bullet and would not release his stranglehold on the rich 350 yard stakes race

for New Mexico-breds.

 

Ramirez said in the winner’s circle, “He broke awesome. We were a length and a half

in front early.”

 

The three-year-old Calligrapher gelding was much the best and timed the distance in

a very fast 17.021 seconds, earning a 104 speed index. A First Caller defeated older

runners in his first career stakes victory.

 

Blane Wood trained the winner for owner Richard Shearer of Portales, New Mexico.

 

A First Caller earned $60,000, pushing his lifetime take past the $163,000 mark.

He improved his overall record to 5 wins, 2 seconds and 2 thirds from 11 starts.

 

Gun Battle ran strongly on the outside to finish second, a neck in front of Dueling Juan.

The runner-up earned $21,500 for owners Del Rae and Robert Driggers of Anthony,

New Mexico. He raced as the 2-1 favorite with jockey Bobbie Don Harmon.