Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino (Saturday, December 29, 2007)

Ketel Won bursts to victory in $400,000 Championship

at Sunland Park sponsored by Certegy (Grade 1)

Heavenly Trip wins $125,363 Sunland Winter QH Derby

Our Choice closes strongly to win $125,000 Red Hedeman Mile

 

Ketel Won burst through the stretch to capture a neck victory in the Grade 1

$400,000 Championship at Sunland Park sponsored by Certegy.

 

The rapidly developing four-year-old colt by Stoli broke free of traffic in the

#9 post position and set dead aim on the fast breaking Remember Me Rose.

 

Under Freddie Martinez, Ketel Won responded eagerly through the first

half of the 400 yard feature. The 2-1 post time favorite reeled in Remember

Me Rose and gained full control of the lead with a 100 yards to go in the

rich championship. He rocketed past the finish line in a lightning fast

18.936 seconds. The clocking earned a sparkling 105 speed index.

 

The Championship at Sunland Park victory capped off a great year for Ketel

Won who is in line for World Champion Aged Stallion awards. He also won

the Zia Park Championship, All American Gold Cup and Higheasterjet

Handicap in 2007.

 

Winning pilot Freddie Martinez said, “I had a tough decision picking between

Ketel Won and Separate Bet. I had a big summer with Separate Bet but Ketel

Won is sharp and at the top of his game now.”

 

Martinez moved closer to the top of the nation’s leading Quarter Horse riders in terms

of money won He trails only G.R. Carter by less than $3,000 in earnings for the year

end title.

 

Martinez would be the first New Mexico based Quarter Horse rider to earn the

prestigious title.

 

Winning trainer Paul Jones said in the winner’s circle, “We are really happy to

finally win this race. We have been close a couple of times. It’s a happy moment

to win. It makes it fun when our plans to out like this.”

 

Jones is the nation’s leading Quarter Horse trainer.

 

Ketel Won earned $182,500 for owner R.D. Hubbard of Palm Desert, California.

His career bankroll swelled to over $424,000 from 6 career wins. Hubbard won

the 1992 Sunland Park Fall Quarter Horse Futurity with Ketel Won’s dam –

Sixy Lady.

 

The superlative multiple stakes winning filly Remember Me Rose ran valiantly

to earn second place. The daughter of Corona Cartel was a length in front of

the third place finisher – Mr. Perry Dash. Remember Me Rose earned $68,500

for the Azoom LP led by Enrique Carrion.

 

Mr Perry Dash earned $40,500 for owners Denis and Julie Shoenhofer.

 

One Special Shade and Separate Bet finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

 

Defending champion Gotta Get was unruly in the gate prior to the start. He

never fired and finished tenth.

 

Heavenly Trip scored a 14-1 upset victory in the $125,363 Grade 2 Sunland Park Winter

Quarter Horse Derby. The brown filly by Splash Bac roared to a one-length victory

over Shaky Girl in a time of 19.346 seconds for the 400 yards. Salvador Martinez

rode the winner for trainer Roy Marcom, Jr.

 

Winning owner Ray Herring of Graham, Texas collected a $58,921 first place

paycheck.

 

The consistent Heavenly Trip improved her overall record to 4 wins, 3 seconds

and 4 thirds from 16 starts. She has earned over $154,000.

 

Top qualifier Miss Kips Streakin tried her best after a slow start. She finished

a game third, beaten one and one-half lengths.

 

 

Under jockey Alfredo Juarez, Jr., Our Choice rolled from far off the pace to win

the $125,000 Red Hedeman Mile by an expanding one and one-quarter lengths.

 

The two-year-old New Mexico-bred gelding by Desert God exploded in deep

stretch to overhaul the pace setting Etoile De Dome. The 7-2 third favorite

seemed to thrive on the added distance in his first attempt around two turns.

 

Our Choice sped through the Red Hedeman Mile in a good 1:37.92 for trainer

Dwain Grissom. The winner picked up a $75,000 paycheck for the Triple AAA

Ranch of Anthony, New Mexico.

 

Etoile De Dome ran a terrific race for trainer Chris Hartman. The stakes winning

filly battled for early supremacy with the favorite Run Like Fire. She responded

well for jockey Quyet Bui but had no answers for the winner.

 

Top Set finished with energy to get third, a neck in front of the 6-5 favorite

Run Like Fire.

 

Racing resumes on Sunday at 12:15 p.m. The $160,940 Sunland Park Winter

Quarter Horse Futurity, the $50,000 Bold Ego Handicap and the

$105,950 Riley Allison Futurity are the feature races.


KETEL WON - Photo Credit: Eugene O'Neill / Coady Photo

HEAVENLY TRIP - Photo Credit: Eugene O'Neill / Coady Photo

OUR CHOICE - Photo Credit: Eugene O'Neill / Coady Photo