ALBUQUERQUE – Todd Fincher-trained Matilda’s Mark rolled to an impressive 2-length score under Alfredo Juarez, Jr. in Sunday’s $75,000 Lincoln Stakes at Albuquerque Downs.
Owned by Fincher Racing LLC and bred in New Mexico by Todd Fincher, Matilda’s Mark grabbed the lead in the 6-furlong contest shortly after the start, withstood a challenge at the top of the stretch and was never truly threatened, reaching the wire in a final time of 1 minute, 8.92 seconds.
The 4-year-old filly by Marking has now won both of her starts in 2026. She returned from a near eight-month to win an allowance race over this course last month. Her victory in the Lincoln Stakes gives her five wins from eight starts and pads her career bankroll to more than $218,000.
In addition to her Lincoln Stakes win, Matilda’s Mark has now won all four of her starts at Albuquerque Downs, including last year’s Petticoat Stakes.
Fincher, one of the state’s most successful thoroughbred trainers, appears to have a strong hold at the top of the standings at current Ruidoso at Albuqerque meet. His 14 winners this season are six ahead of Sherry Armstrong and seven in front of Martin Valdez-Cabral with less than three weeks of racing at the current season.
In the quarter horse division, a much tighter race is unfolding in the trainer standings before the meet comes to an end on Labor Day.
Omar Vargas currently has the lead in the category with 20 victories, just one ahead of David Gomez-Barraza’s 19 winners and two ahead of Wes Giles’18.
Sent off as the overwhelming favorite in the Lincoln Stakes, Matilda’s Mark returned $2.60 to her winning backers. The $2 exacta with First Again paid $5.20. Right For You finished third, and La Jolla Beach rounded out the top four finishers.