Triple Crown Report - Sun. June 11th, 2023

For immediate release                            Contact:      Tim Keithley
                                                                                         575-937-4708
Sun. June 11th, 2023                                                     tkeithley@raceruidoso.com

TRIPLE CROWN REPORT Presented by:

LETS LEAVE A NOSE AHEAD OF WIRED 440 IN RUIDOSO FUTURITY

On his 40 th birthday, trainer Eric Valenzuela’s runners Lets Leave and Wired 440 finished one-two in today’s running of the $1 Million Ruidoso Futurity at Ruidoso Downs Race Track.

“It was more than I could have wished for,” he said in the winner’s circle. “But this is a team effort and the credit goes to the owners, jockey and our staff. This colt did exactly what we expected today.”

Lets Leave, a two-year-old sired by Favorite Cartel out of the mare Time to Leave by Walk Thru Fire, won a photo finish by a nose in a winning time of 17.562 for 350-yards.

“From the get-go he came out running,” jockey Sergio Becerra Jr. said after the race. “His experience in the West Texas Futurity and the Ruidoso trials helped him a lot. I could see the four-horse coming on the inside but we got there in time. I feel fortunate and blessed that we got the nod.”

Bettors respected Lets Leave on top as the colt went off at almost even-money, paying $4.40, $3.40 and $2.60.

Let’s Leave, owned by Barron Racing and Empire Racing, has three wins in four career starts. He is next expected to run in the $1 Million Rainbow Futurity trials June 30 or July 1. The $100,000 Ruidoso Juvenile was won by Yippee Ki Yey and Jockey Raul Valenzuela in a winning time of 17.803 seconds for 350- yards. The two-year-old colt won by a neck over Jones Hero, paying $20.80, $8.20 and $5.00.

Yippee Ki Yey is owned by Stanley Forbes and trained by Cody Noel. The colt is sired by Tres Seis out of the mare Jess Shantastic by Fantastic Corona Jr., and is undefeated in two starts.