Ruidoso Futurity Field Set After Two Days of Trials
Photo of Jetzz and Packsaddle Senator by Jake Rogers, courtesy of Ruidoso Downs.
RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM – MAY 23, 2020 – After two days and 28 trial heats, the field for the first leg of the Quarter Horse Triple Crown is set! Five more horses rounded out the field for the Ruidoso Futurity on a sunny afternoon at Ruidoso Downs Race Track with Jettz leading the way with the fastest time of the day at:17.818.
Jettz, an Oklahoma-bred gelding sired by One Fabulous Eagle out of First to Celebrate by First Down Dash, is trained by John Buchanan and was ridden by Francisco Calderon. The brown gelding is owned by Bobby Cox.
“He’s so big he looks more like an 870 horse, but here we are at 350 yards,” said trainer John Buchanan. “He’s really starting to get the hang of it. Those two races at Remington Park before we came to Ruidoso really made a big difference because he got settled in and used to things. He’s a real big horse and now he’s sort of growing into himself.”
“He broke so sharp that we were in front quickly, and I think that gave a young horse the confidence to keep going,” said jockey Francisco Calderon. “The ten-horse came back on us a little bit, but my horse wasn’t going to let him get ahead. The gelding acts like an older horse. He certainly will be able to use more ground later.”
As it was in the first day of trials, the second-fastest time was recorded in the same race by Packsaddle Senator who ran in the post position right next to Jettz and ran a speedy:17.859. Owned by Terry Wooten et al and trained by Gerald Reed, Packsaddle Senator was ridden by James Flores.
Cyber Monday who recorded the fastest time on Day Two of the schooling works, won easily with a time of 18.007. The brown colt was sired by Favorite Cartel and was purchased at the Ruidoso Yearling Select Sale last year for $140,000 by a group out of El Paso led by Abelardo Gallegos.
The owner/trainer/jockey trio of La Feliz Montana Ranch, Jose Efran Meraz, and Federico Martinez secured another spot in the finals with Favorite Blue Girl who ran an :18.040. The sorrel filly was bred in Oklahoma and was sired by Favorite Cartel out of Run the Dash by Sixarun.
The final spot of the day was up for grabs until the 14th race when Kj Daisy Duke raced to the wire in :18.04 to sneak into the final. Trained by Wes Giles and ridden by Alan Hernandez, the filly is owned by John and W. Kathy Lee and I. Ruben Mares.
The final field for the $1,000,000 Ruidoso Futurity is now set and includes Elmer (17.799), Jettz (17:818), Packsaddle Senator (17.859), B Icy (17.896), Misscandymountain (17.900), Tuckk (17.934), Apollitical Redflash (17.990), Cyber Monday (18.007), Favorite Blue Girl (18.040), and Kj Daisy Duke (18.04).
The field is also set for the $100,000 Ruidoso Juvenile Stakes and includes Steal the Candy, Jess Agree, Distinctive Delight, Valiantt, Xf Wingman, Speed Dynasty, For the Irony, Kj Sonny P, Famous Shining Star, and Tlc Apache Heart.
Ruidoso Derby Trials will take place tomorrow at Ruidoso Downs with 11 heats of 3-year-olds running to qualify for the $750,000 GI Ruidoso Derby.