Ricanelo Top Qualifier in $341,362 Mountain Top Futurity at Ruidoso Downs

 Ruidoso Downs, NM—Ricanelo, a two-year-old New Mexico-bred gelding, broke and led all the way to the finish line in the second Mountain Top Futurity trial of the day at Ruidoso Downs Race Track, scoring the fastest time of 17.853 seconds for 350-yards.

Sired by Big Daddy Cartel out of the mare Total Miracle by Dean Miracle, Ricanelo will advance to the final of the Mountain Top Futurity to be held on June 19. The gelding is owned by Gene and Tod Bradley and trained by Trey Wood.

“I’m very familiar with him,” jockey Tanner Thedford said. “I helped brake him on the ranch in Lubbock and I rode him in the finals of the Oklahoma Futurity at Remington. He’s solid for his experience.”

Ricanelo finished fourth in the Oklahoma Futurity at Remington Park on March 19. Thedford said Ricanelo led early in the race but might have bled a little  which caused a late fade. “Today there were no issues,” Thedford said. “He handled everything extremely well and we’re looking forward to the final.”

Other state-bred quarter horses that qualified for the Mountain Top Futurity final include: Fine Am Eye in 17.916 seconds; KJ Daddys Money in 17.919 seconds; One Sweet Love in 17.948 seconds; Fast Flashn 17.967 seconds; Kings Touch in 17.969 seconds; Pick Your Pour in 17.973 seconds; La Pantera in 17.980 seconds; Reef Ridge in 17.986 seconds; and Whisky Road in 18.022 seconds.