Friday, September 03, 2010
Ruidoso Downs will end its 60-day summer meet this weekend, and the track’s schedule features six stakes – four for Quarter Horses and two for Thoroughbreds.
Post time for all three days will be 12 p.m. (MDT).
Saturday’s 12-race program features the 1 1/16-mile, $40,000 Ruidoso Thoroughbred Derby. On Sunday, Quarter Horses will be in the spotlight in the 440-yard, $40,000 All American Gold Cup (G3) and 440-yard, $1,548,076 All American Derby (G1), while Monday’s closing-day card will include the 440-yard, $1.9-million All American Futurity (G1), the 440-yard, $150,000 All American Juvenile Invitational Stakes, and the 1 1/16-mile, $50,000 Ruidoso Thoroughbred Championship.
The Ruidoso Thoroughbred Derby drew a field of seven 3-year-olds, including 2-1 morning-line favorite El Confidential. A gelding by Eltish racing for William Brook Henderson and trained by Chris Hartman, El Confidential has won two of four races and has earned $51,850, and his stakes record includes a second-place finish in the April 20, $50,000 KHEY Y-96 Sprint Stakes at Sunland Park.
All horses have been assigned to carry 122 pounds. The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds – Train Rider Blues (Joe Martinez), 7-2; Ocean Lad (Ken Tohill), 10-1; Go Barney Go (Carlos Madeira), 12-1; El Confidential (J. Martin Bourdieu), 2-1; Develish Jack (Mark Villa), 5-1; Blue Memo (Juan Ochoa), 9-2; and Skip A Smile (Isaias Enriquez), 3-1.
The winner of Sunday’s All American Derby will earn a starting berth in this year’s Grade 1, 440-yard Champion of Champions at Los Alamitos. Fastest qualifier Apollitical Jess, a colt by champion Mr Jess Perry racing for Rancho El Cabresto Inc. from the barn of Juan Aleman, will break from post 4 and is the 4-1 morning-line second choice.
Vanessa Bartoo’s Double Down Special, the 5-2 morning-line favorite, drew post 7. The gelding by Grade 1 winner The Down Side has won five of his last seven races, including the June 12, $569,000 Ruidoso Derby (G1) and April 3, $169,000 West Texas Derby (G3) at Sunland Park.
All horses will tote 122 pounds while vying for the winner’s share of a stakes-record purse. The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds – Favorite Cartel (Cody Jensen), 6-1; Mr Truly Uno (Joe Martinez), 12-1; Smokey Stone (G.R. Carter Jr.), 5-1; Apollitical Jess (Eduardo Nicasio), 4-1; Streakin Down (Jimmy Dean Brooks), 9-2; First Corona Call (Ricky Ramirez), 12-1; Double Down Special (Jacky Martin), 5-2; Callan Rocks (Tony Guymon), 10-1; Shesa First Ratify (David Pinon), 15-1; and Zoomin With Ease (Russel Hadley), 15-1.
The All American Gold Cup has attracted a full field of 10 aged sprinters. Shy Ann Jess, a 5-year-old stallion by Mr Jess Perry campaigned by Paul Wood and Henry “Butch” Southway, is the 3-1 morning-line choice. Shy Ann Jess is coming off of a one-length victory in the 350-yard Higheasterjet Handicap (G3) on July 3.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey and weight assignments and morning-line odds – Noconi (Jacky Martin, 125), 7-2; Royal Gallant Jewel (Ruben Calderon, 120), 15-1; Sassys Tuffy (Jose Montoya, 122), 12-1; Louisianafeature One (Tony Guymon, 123), 8-1; Shy Ann Jess (G.R. Carter Jr., 126), 3-1; Time For A Cigar (Ricky Ramirez, 126), 4-1; Shaboomator (Chris Zamora, 121), 12-1; Heza Gambling Man (Cody Jensen, 120), 12-1; Double Out (Jimmy Ray Coates, 121), 10-1; and Vital Winner (Cody Wainscott, 124), 5-1.
The All American Futurity has been contested every year since 1959 and is Quarter Horse racing’s most prestigious and historic race. A total of 197 2-year-olds were entered in 20 440-yard trials held on August 19.
Fastest qualifier JLS Mr Bigtime, a homebred Bigtime Favorite gelding racing for JLS Speed Horse Ranch Inc. of Opelousas, Louisiana, won the 13th heat by 1 ½ lengths in :21.220. JLS Mr Bigtime has won four of six races and has banked $93,329, and he ran second in the July 10, $375,700 Lee Berwick Memorial Louisiana-Bred Futurity (RG1) at Delta Downs.
Sixth-fastest qualifier Episode Of Fire will not compete in the All American Futurity final, as the filly sustained a career-ending injury in her trial.
All horses will carry 120 pounds. The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds – JLS Mr Bigtime (Jacky Martin), 3-1; JD Baccarat (Rodrigo Aceves), 12-1; Miss Racy Jess (Ricky Ramirez), 5-1; Prospect To The Top (Oscar Rincon), 3-1; DM Streakin Thru Fire (G.R. Carter Jr.), 8-1; Make Me Fly (Jimmy Dean Brooks), 6-1; Dominyun (Russel Hadley), 5-1; Cuz IBA Okey (Cody Jensen), 4-1; and Mr Piloto (Esgar Ramirez), 20-1.
The All American Juvenile Invitational gives preference to the horses that post the 11th-20th fastest qualifying times in the All American Futurity trials. Robert and Dolores Gerhardt’s Hes Too Icy For Me will be the likely favorite, as the gray colt by all-time leading sire First Down Dash has earned $334,794 from five outs, and his four wins include the $625,000 Rainbow Futurity (G1) on July 25.
Other prominent 2-year-olds who drew into the Juvenile Invitational include Remington Park Futurity (G1) winner Llano Teller and West Texas Futurity (G1) runner-up First Class Lacy B.
All horses will tote 120 pounds. The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments – Caitlyn Rose (S. Martinez), Cold Cash 123 (Jose Montoya), Pump It Teller (Cody Jensen), Hes Too Icy For Me (Jacky Martin), Fast Red Rose (G.R. Carter Jr.), Feature Honor (Tony Guymon), Goose Perry (Bonifacio Perez), Llano Teller (Ricky Ramirez), First Class Lacy B (Esgar Ramirez), The Printing Press (Jimmy Dean Brooks), AE-Inviting A Snow (Joe Martinez), and AE-DM Strait (Ricky Ramirez).
A field of six has entered the Ruidoso Thoroughbred Championship, including Quiet Again, a 5-year-old gelding by 1998 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Real Quiet bred and owned by Paul B. Thomason and trained by Jimmy Claridge. Quiet Again has been assigned the 123-pound top weight by racing secretary Robbie Junk, and the gelding is a two-time stakes winner who ran second in last year’s Ruidoso Championship.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey and weight assignments – Summertime Sal (Perry Whetstone, 115), Regatta Tone (Ken Tohill, 113), Dunscombe (Miguel Hernandez, 116), Hezamazing (Quyet Bui, 122), Fullofenergy (Carlos Madeira, 121), and Quiet Again (Isaias Enriquez, 123).