Nestled in the mountains of southern New Mexico, Ruidoso Downs opens its 60-day summer meet with a 21-race program on Friday. Post time for the first race will be 11 a.m. (MDT).

Ruidoso's opening-day card consists entirely of Ruidoso Futurity (G1) trials. A total of 201 2-year-olds have been entered, of which 105 are first-time starters.

The 10 fastest qualifiers will meet in the $500,000 Ruidoso Futurity final, the first leg of the All American Triple Crown, on June 12. Among the hopefuls are Valiant War Hero, a Valiant Hero gelding whose two wins in as many outs include the April 11 West Texas Futurity (G1) in world-record time at Sunland Park, and Twilight B, a gelding by Teller Cartel who ran third at odds of 22-1 in the West Texas Futurity.

This year's Ruidoso meet will feature a completely renovated racing surface and live racing on a Friday-Monday schedule. The only exception to this schedule will be Thursday, August 18, when the All American Futurity (G1) trials will be run. That week, there will be no racing on Monday, August 22.

Other improvements to the facility include a resurfaced and restriped parking lot and new stucco on the exterior of the grandstand. Also, the grandstand interior has been repainted and features new signage above the refreshment stands, and the All American Turf Club has been renovated.

Ruidoso Downs' meet continues with 400-yard Ruidoso Derby (G1) trials on Saturday. The track's opening weekend program also includes the 870-yard, $30,000 Fine Loom Handicap on Sunday, and the 6-furlong, $40,000 First Lady Handicap for filllies and mares on Monday.

Ruidoso's top New Mexico-bred stakes include the 350-yard, $250,000-est. Mountain Top Quarter Horse Futurity (RG2) on June 19, the 5-furlong, $150,000-est. Mountain Top Thoroughbred Futurity (R) on June 26, and the 5 1/2-furlong, $50,000 Sierra Blanca Handicap (R) on July 4.

Also, the annual Zia Festival for New Mexico-bred Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses will be held on Sunday, July 31. The Zia Festival will feature 10 state-bred races, six for Thoroughbreds and four for Quarter Horses. The Thoroughbred stakes will include the 7 1/2-furlong, $50,000 Land of Enchantment Handicap (R), which has been won the past four seasons by Fullofenergy, and the Quarter Horse stakes will include the 400-yard, $350,000-est. Zia Futurity (RG1).

Contested every year since 1991, the Zia Futurity first achieved graded status four years later. The stakes past winners include AQHA champion Now I Know (1995), eventual All American Derby (G1) winner Arealstraitheart (2005), and eventual All American Futurity runner-up Gun Battle ('06).

For more information on the Ruidoso Downs meet, visit the track's website at www.ruidownsracing.com.