Leading Cartel Leads The Way to a Win in the Mountain Top Quarter Horse Futurity
Leading Cartel, winner of the 2020 Mountain Top Futurity. Photo by Jake Rogers, courtesy of Ruidoso Downs
RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM – June 13, 2020 – Leading Cartel took home the $359,069 Grade II Mountain Top Futurity for 2-year-old New Mexico-bred Quarter Horses on Saturday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs. Leading Cartel, a gelding by Big Daddy Cartel out of Leading Diva by Special Leader, is owned by Reliance Ranches, LLC (Micah Mckinney et al) and is trained by Mike Robbins.
“I give my assistant trainer Cody Noel all the credit with this horse—he’s been the one to work with him from the start—and it’s been a team effort with Esgar (Ramirez),” said trainer Mike Robbins. “You’ll likely have him in the Zia Futurity trials—and he is paid into the All American, so we’ve got some decisions to make with him.”
Jockey Esgar Ramirez rode Leading Cartel with a winning time of :17.95 over the 350 yards in front of Woodys Gold. Midnight Train Mo finished third.
“This horse is special to me because I helped break him. You can ask him to give you more, and he responds,” said Jockey Esgar Ramirez. “He slipped just a little coming out of the gates, and then I asked him, and he grabbed a lead. He’s done everything right---three races now.”
Saturday afternoon also included the Mountain Top Juvenile Stakes for 2-year-old New Mexico-bred Quarter Horses who did not qualify for the finals. Cody Cobb’s Vine Master won the $50,000 consolation race and covered 350 yards in:17.99. Sergio Becerra Jr. had the mount. Fly On Down was second and Riverside Moonbeam was third.
“This horse had an issue leaving the gates in the trials, or he would have made the final,” said trainer James J. Gonzales, II of Vine Master. “He has all the talent you need, and I think we’ll be a factor in the state-bred races all summer.”
Live racing at Ruidoso Downs continues on Sunday with the $100,000 Ruidoso Maiden Stakes for 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old maidens, the $45,000 Rita Danley Distaff for New Mexico-bred 3-year-old fillies and mares, and the $30,000 Ruidoso Sprint Handicap for 3-year-old thoroughbreds. Post time is 1:00 PM MDT.
For more information on how to watch and wager, please visit RaceRuidoso.com.