The Inside Track by Tim Keithley: Mountain Top New Mexico Thoroughbred Futurity
Here’s What Trainers are Saying about the $125,000 Mountain Top New Mexico Thoroughbred Futurity to run on June 20, 2020.
Aisle Runner 3-1 Jockey Luis Fuentes
Trainer Todd Fincher : “I thought this was the most impressive youngster in the trials. Luis (Fuentes) didn’t have to ask for anything and the horse won by six lengths. I was very impressed with the horse and the rider. Luis has talent and with hard work I think he’s going to be an outstanding rider.”
Shamefully Sweet 20-1 Jockey Luis Rodriguez
Trainer Roy Marcom: “We were figuring the filly running in the Copper Top Futurity at Sunland, but after that track closed early her owners Terry and Barbara Brown paid the late entry fee for the Mountain Top. She’s such a nicely packed-filly—lightning fast. We think what’s been going on with her is that she gets going too fast into the turn and she hasn’t quite learned to switch leads just yet. We’re very high on her—and we’re lucky we drew into the final.”
Zesty Jazzman 9/2 Jockey Isalas Enriquez
Trainer Todd Fincher: “He ran a perfect race in the trials which was a pleasant surprise because he was just working so-so in the mornings. The colt turned it on when he was supposed to and that could happen again in the final.”
Benjamin Who 10-1 Jockey Shane Laviolette
Trainer Todd Fincher: “My thinking is that this horse is probably going to be better going a route than a sprint. I was expecting a little more out of him –had a little trouble at the start of his trial—but he’s certainly talented enough to have made the final. We’ll look for him when the youngsters start going a little further.”
My Storm Warrior 15-1 Jockey Alfredo Sigala
Trainer Todd Fincher: “This horse showed tremendous heart in the stretch and finished well. He was picking up horses and almost got there. If he’s close late I think he has an opportunity to surprise.”
Fill The Bill 12-1 Jockey Elvin Gonzalez
Trainer Fred Danley: “Both of my horses pulled up super after good runs. Both just needed to get started so badly because we had backed off on their training (because of Covid-19). This mare showed she had speed but then from the head of the lane to the finish line you could tell she was tired. I think her stamina will improve in the finals after that first start.”
Jornalero 6-1 Armando Vergas Romero
Trainer Juventino Ruiz: “His name means “Day Worker” in Spanish, but every time we tried to submit a name for him with the Jockey Club they would deny what we submitted, so this horse didn’t even have a registered name until just almost a day before we entered. We were behind in training him to change leads around a turn, but the horse ended up doing it himself and that gave him the boost he showed us into the stretch. He’s 6-1 in the final—after winning at 44-1 odds in the trials—so we’re starting to make some people believe.”
Seventh Hennessy 15-1 Jockey Miguel Fuentes Jr.
Trainer Casey Lambert: “This filly had horrible luck in the trials,” he said. “She has to get a better trip than what she did. She got stuck on the inside and it seems like she couldn’t get free behind a bunch of horses then she ducked inside on her own and ends up finishing third. We just like her a lot and think she’s going to perform.”
Bully Baby 7/2 Jockey Enrique Portillo Gomez
Trainer Fred Danley: “This filly has quarter-horse speed and what we liked that a horse tried to get around her in the stretch and she dug-in and wouldn’t let him by. We’re very please with our two fillies and think we’ve got a good chance.”
One Mark 8-1 Jockey Alfredo Juarez Jr.
Trainer Todd Fincher: “He didn’t break at all so he was behind from the start,” he said. “It seemed like he moved at the wrong time—just from a lack of experience—but showed us how much speed he had getting up to finish second. This is the perfect spot for him on the outside and he has enough raw talent to win this.”