Shue Fly Stakes Qualifiers

After five trials on Saturday featuring newly-turned 3-year-old New Mexico-breds, Sure Hit emerged with the fastest qualifying time for the $100,000-added Shue Fly Stakes (RG2) to be contested on January 31 at Sunland Park. Ridden by Jacob Enriquez for trainer Clint Crawford, the gelding by Jet Black Patriot sprinted 400 yards in :19.653 and won by 1 ¾ lengths with an 86 speed index. The sorrel runs for owners Christopher Lykins, Conda Maze and Downtime Enterprises LLC.

This marked the fourth time that Sure Hit has qualified to a graded stakes final, with his best finish so far being a third-place effort in last year’s $216,116 New Mexico Breeders Futurity (RG2) at SunRay Park. Bred by Bryan and Megan Petty out of the Thoroughbred mare Merchant of Hope, a daughter of Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner Bayern, Sure Hit has won half of his eight career starts and has earned $96,383.

The second-fastest qualifier with a time of :19.668 was Pour Me A Drinkk, who won his trial as the 1-10 favorite while extending his winning streak to three. Bred and trained by Fred Danley and owned by Danley and Bob McClure, the gelding by Prospect To The Top came in off a victory in the $313,943 New Mexico Classic Futurity (RG2) in November at Zia Park. 

The complete list of qualifiers is as follows: Sure Hit (:19.653), Pour Me A Drinkk (:19.668), Jet Black Eagles (:19.781), BV China Dawl (:19.859), The Ghan (:19.890), Beyond Big Daddy (:19.906), McKinlay (:19.972), Jess A Moon Girl (:20.020), Chamacuz (:20.038) and Daddys Bullet (:20.050). 

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