The Inside Track by Tim Keithley: Horses to Watch for Friday, June 4, 2021

Two-year-old quarter horses are on the race track Friday afternoon for trials of the $280,371 Mountain Top Futurity at Ruidoso Downs Race Track. The ten races consist of New Mexico bred horses—many making their career debuts. Post time is 1:00 PM.

The fastest ten times throughout the day will advance to the final scheduled to run Sunday, June 20.

Here are three horses to watch in the trials:

Race 5           Tickle the Nickel     Odds: 9-5

Owned by trainer Wes Giles’ wife, Jill, and Kathy Lee, this filly finished third in a $61K Futurity at Turf Paradise in the spring. The stakes race was won by barn mate BF Shes Outrageous who flew down the race track last weekend and won her Ruidoso Futurity trial impressively. The two starts in Arizona give the filly a clear advantage Friday afternoon, and jockey Adrian Ramos sticks with the filly.

 Race 6           Fire Of The Dragon     Odds: Even

This young gelding out of the sire Zulu Dragon has strong starts already under his belt in the spring at Remington for the Trey Wood Barn. Annette and Mark McCloy and Patricia Shearer own Fire on the Dragon, and Tanner Thedford will ride. Thedford helped break the horse in the spring and knows it well—the outside post should help guarantee a clean trip.

 Race 9           LMG First Call              Odds: 4-1

Here’s a winner of a training race at Ruidoso Downs May 3rd impressively. This gelding’s sire is First Moonflash—known as one of the best New Mexico sires in history. Jockey Raul Ramirez Jr., will ride for LMG Racing and trainer Michael Joiner.