River Flash Continues Win Streak with Victory In Zia Derby at Ruidoso Downs Race Track

Ruidoso Downs, NM—River Flash, a three-year-old gelding, continued a winning streak that now has grown to five races with a victory in the Grade II $173,634 Zia Derby at Ruidoso Downs Race Track during the Zia Festival. “He was active in the gate and was waiting to move forward,” jockey Adrian Ramos said. “This horse proved a lot today—just full of run on the end. I think he’s one of the fastest New Mexico-breds in training right now.” River Flash, sired by Chicks Regard out of the mare Riverside Flash by First Moonflash, swept both major New Mexico-bred derby races this summer at Ruidoso Downs having won the Mountain Top Derby June 18. The gelding has seven career wins in eleven starts and earnings of approximately $250,000. River Flash paid $3.20, $2.20 and $2.10 in a time of 19.403 seconds for 400-yards.

In other stakes races held today during the Zia Festival at Ruidoso Downs, Hollywood Henry with jockey Luis Fuentes pulled away by three-lengths in the 5 th race to win the $50,000

Sierra Stakes at five-and-a half furlongs in a time of 1:03.53 seconds. The seven-year-old gelding won the same race last season, notching his thirteenth career win today for owner Bennie Vanecek and trainer Fred Danley with career earnings of nearly $500,000.

Bigg Dee and jockey Mario Delgado won the sixth race by nearly two-lengths, the 400-yard $50,000 Grade II Zia Stakes in a time of 19.480 seconds. It was a tenth career win in twenty starts for the four-year-old gelding owned by Rex Wells and trainer by JJ Gonzales.

The seventh race was the $50,000 Land of Enchantment Stakes at seven-and-a-half furlongs which was won by Thunder Dome and jockey Rigo Sarmiento through the disqualification of Cheese Tray. Stewards ruled that Cheese Tray interfered with Thunder Domes’ path in the homestretch and placed Cheese Tray in second-place. Cheese Tray’s running time was 1:31.86 seconds. The eight-year-old Thunder Dome had not won a race since 2020 for owners Mike and Bill Carson and trainer Dallas Barton. The gelding has twelve career wins with career earnngs of nearly $750,000.

The Zia Festival continues on Sunday with the $50,000 870-yard Zia Championship, the $50,000 Road Runner Stakes, the $50,000 Zia Juvenile, the $50,000 Lincoln Stakes and the $379,527 Zia Futurity. First Post is 1 p.m.