A total of 99 New Mexico-bred Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses have been entered in Sunday’s Zia Festival races at Ruidoso Downs Racetrack.

Post time for the first of 10 state-bred stakes is 1 p.m. (MDT).

Six of the Zia Festival races are for Thoroughbreds and four are for Quarter Horses. The Thoroughbred races will be topped by the 7 ½-furlong, $50,000 Land of Enchantment Handicap, in which Fullofenergy will be vying for his fourth consecutive victory.

A 7-year-old gelding racing for H. Joseph Allen and Michael Stinson and trained by Joel Marr, Fullofenergy first won the Land of Enchantment in 2007. That was followed by victories in the stakes the following two seasons. All told, Fullofenergy has earned $472,537 from 36 starts, and his 10 wins include a total of five stakes scores.

The Zia Festival’s richest Quarter Horse stakes, the 400-yard, $351,963 Zia Futurity (RG1), is headed by fastest qualifier Streak Of Sixes. The sorrel daughter of Sixes Royal, who races for Pete and Marjorie Gallegos of Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico, has won five of six races – including the June 20 Mountain Top Futurity (RG2) and April 11 New Mexican Spring Futurity (RG1) – and she has banked $277,038.

A preview of all of the Zia Festival races follows. Complete coverage of the races will be featured in the September issue of The New Mexico Horse Breeder magazine.

Zia 870 Championship Stakes (R)
Purse, $50,000; 3-year-olds & older; 870 yards

Key’s Band (TB), a 6-year-old Chimes Band gelding racing for Maria G. Gonzalez of Edgewood, New Mexico, won this race last year and is back to defend his title. The 5-2 morning-line favorite, Key’s Band is coming off of a third-place finish as the 2-1 favorite in the 870-yard, $75,000 New Mexico Horsemen’s Association Handicap (R) at SunRay Park.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey and weight assignments and morning-line odds – Key’s Band (TB) (Ken Tohill, 124), 5-2; Heza Bold Color (Miguel Hernandez, 122), 4-1; Whata Lucky Man (Esgar Ramirez, 121), 20-1; Recall Dreams (Mark Villa, 121), 10-1; Lost Southerner (Casey Lambert, 120), 8-1; Mr Frenchman (Freddie Martinez, 121), 8-1; To Shay (Cody Jensen, 120), 9-2; and BRT Opulence (J. Martin Bourdieu, 124), 3-1.

Zia Derby (RG2)
Purse, $126,924; 3-year-olds; 400 yards

R.D. and Joan Dale Hubbard’s Down With You, the fastest qualifier, drew post 6 in the field of 10 New Mexico-bred 3-year-olds. The homebred colt by the late The Down Side has earned $40,791 from eight races, and his two wins include a neck victory on a sloppy track in the second of three trials on July 16.

Eighth-fastest qualifier Jess A Chicks won last year’s Zia Futurity (RG1).

All horses have been assigned 122 pounds. The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds – Six Royal Alibis (Oscar Rincon), 12-1; Southernrunaway (Larry Payne), 15-1; Here Kittykittykitty (Bonifacio Perez), 6-1; Corona Memory Crest (Jacky Martin), 3-1; Tricks My Pick (Tony Guymon), 6-1; Down With You (Cody Jensen), 4-1; Jess A Chicks (G.R. Carter Jr.), 9-2; I Know Bedarina (Salvador Martinez), 12-1; Seven Coronas (Ricky Ramirez), 15-1; and Captian Jacksboro (Jimmy D. Brooks), 6-1.

Zia Handicap (RG2)
Purse, $50,000; 3-year-olds & older; $50,000

Richard R. Shearer’s First Corona Call faces state-breds in his first start of the season. The lone 3-year-old in the full field of 10, the homebred gelding by Southern Corona is coming off of a second-place finish to champion Tempting Dash in the October 24, $445,000 Dash For Cash Futurity (G1) at Lone Star Park in Texas.

First Corona Call has won three of 10 races and has earned $284,623, and his stakes resume includes a third-place finish in last year’s 440-yard, $2-million All American Futurity (G1).

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey and weight assignments and morning-line odds – Lite A Fire (David Pinon, 120), 15-1; In Famous Caper (Jacky Martin, 122), 9-2; Lethal Delight (Ricky Ramirez, 123), 6-1; PB And Crackers (Cody Jensen, 125), 3-1; A Streak Regard (Tony Guymon, 122), 15-1; First Corona Call (Freddie Martinez, 123), 7-2; Miracle Snow (J. Martin Bourdieu, 122), 5-1; BP Shes Southern (G.R. Carter Jr., 122), 8-1; Dueling Juan (Esgar Ramirez, 121), 15-1; and Miracle In Seattle (Enrique Gomez, 120), 20-1.

Road Runner Handicap (R)
Purse, $50,000; 3-year-olds; $50,000

The 3-1 morning-line favorite, Train Rider Blues is coming off of a nose victory in the 6 ½-furlong, $75,000 Dine Stakes (R) at SunRay Park on July 3. Train Rider Blues races for Freda McSwane and Joe Walters, who acquired the bay colt by Desert God for $5,000 at the 2008 New Mexico-Bred Yearling Sale at Ruidoso Downs.

All told, Train Rider Blues has won four of 14 races and has banked $259,663, and his record includes a total of three stakes scores.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey and weight assignments and morning-line odds – Heza Rare Bull (Jimmy Ray Coates, 113), 20-1; Lester’s Echo (Mark Villa, 117), 6-1; Go Barney Go (Oscar Ceballos, 114), 20-1; Crafty You (Ken Tohill, 114), 15-1; Smash Dancer (Miguel Hernandez, 118), 8-1; My Picasso (Alejandro Medellin, 119), 4-1; Rig’s Runner (Casey Lambert, 121), 5-1; Tinzar (Jorge Rocha, 114), 20-1; Eightnchangegroom (Juan Ochoa, 117), 5-1; Hollywood Thunder (J. Martin Bourdieu, 114), 15-1; Maybe To Fast (Enrique Garcia, 114), 15-1; Train Rider Blues (Joe Martinez, 122), 3-1.

Lincoln Handicap (R)
Purse, $50,000; fillies and mares 3-year-olds & older; 6 furlongs

Happy Me, a homebred 4-year-old daughter of Lesters Boy racing for Rita Danley of Anthony, New Mexico, tops a field of eight distaffers in the Lincoln Handicap. The 5-2 morning-line favorite and 121-pound highweight, Happy Me has earned $260,816 from nine outs, and her six victories include this year’s La Coneja Stakes (R) at Sunland Park and Russell and Helen Foutz Distaff Handicap (R) at SunRay Park.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey and weight assignments and morning-line odds – Wild Alaska (Mark Villa, 117), 6-1; Happy Me (Ken Tohill, 121), 5-2; Miss Dominant (Enrique Gomez, 111), 15-1; Blue Eyed Bella (Isaias Enriquez, 119), 5-1; Dream Kin (Carlos Madeira, 115), 6-1; Devil’s Prospector (Miguel Hernandez, 115), 4-1; Shemoves (Juan Ochoa, 118), 3-1; and Diamonds N Bling (J. Martin Bourdieu, 114), 12-1.

Sierra Starlet Handicap (R)
Purse, $50,000; 3-year-old fillies; 5 ½ furlongs

Awintersdream and Desert Tap, the winner and runner-up in the June 19 Aztec Oaks (R) at SunRay Park, top a full field of 12 in this 5 ½-furlong test. A bay daughter of Suave Prospect owned by Joe Dee Brooks of Levelland, Texas, Awintersdream will break from post 4 and is the 3-1 morning-line favorite.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey and weight assignments and morning-line odds – Desert Tap (J. Martin Bourdieu, 119), 9-2; Your My Trixie (Casey Lambert, 115), 10-1; I Am Lesters Gal (Ken Tohill, 119), 8-1; Awintersdream (Juan Ochoa, 121), 3-1; Ambers Pride (Joe Martinez, 114), 15-1; Precious Bay Queen (Carlos Madeira, 113), 20-1; Vaya (Jimmy Ray Coates, 112), 20-1; Corlane (Jorge Rocha, 111), 20-1; Fitness Lady (Alejandro Medellin, 113), 15-1; Elvira Who (Isaias Enriquez, 119), 5-1; Please N Teras (Miguel Hernandez, 118), 8-1; and If I Had A Bull (Mark Villa), 6-1.

Rio Grande Senorita Futurity (R)
Purse, $198,322; 2-year-old fillies; 5 ½ furlongs

Squall Wilbud drew post 1 in this, the richest of the six Thoroughbred stakes. The bay daughter of Squall, who races for breeders W.T. Stradley and Tom Williams, tops the earnings list at $73,739 – more than her nine opponents combined – and her stakes record includes a two-length victory in the April 17, 4 ½-furlong Copper Top Futurity (fillies division) (R) at Sunland Park.

Morning-line favorite Comicsperfectstorm, a homebred Comic Genius filly, is coming off of a 6 ¾-length victory in the second of four trials on July 11.

All fillies have been assigned 120 pounds. The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds – Squall Wilbud (Miguel Hernandez), 6-1; Squallena (Enrique Garcia), 5-1; Ghostly Brew (Ken Tohill), 15-1; Comicsperfectstorm (Juan Ochoa), 3-1; Debbiesaidno (Isaias Enriquez), 4-1; Katie’s Prospect (Oscar Ceballos), 10-1; Diamond Charm (J. Martin Bourdieu), 5-1; Colors Of Pompeii (Salvador Martinez), 10-1; Miss Focus (Alejandro Medellin), 15-1; and A J’s Flicka (Mark Villa), 12-1.

Zia Futurity (RG1)
Purse, $351,963; 2-year-olds; 400 yards

Fastest qualifier Streak Of Sixes is the 2-1 morning-line favorite and drew post 10. Her nine opponents include Secretsofthesouth, a undefeated Southern Corona gelding campaigned by Richard and Patricia Shearer coming off of a one-length victory in her trial on July 15.

Past winners of this race include Major Rime (1994), champion Now I Know (’95), Namehimastreaker (’96), Mark My Dial (2000), Arealstraitheart (’05), and Gun Battle (’06).

All starters have been assigned 120 pounds. The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds – Elegante (Jacky Martin), 15-1; Famous Caillie (G.R. Carter Jr.), 4-1; Pakea Bay (Alejandro Medellin), 6-1; Six Gun Regard (Esgar Ramirez), 10-1; Spice Girl (Mark Villa), 20-1; A Streak Again (Cody Jensen), 20-1; Strait Away Fame (Manuel Gutierrez), 6-1; Secretsofthesouth (Ricky Ramirez), 5-1; Moro Moon (Larry Payne), 6-1; and Streak Of Sixes (Tony Guymon), 2-1.

Rio Grande Senor Futurity (R)
Purse, $189,633; 2-year-olds colts & geldings; 5 ½-furlongs

Red Rock Springs, a colt by Your Eminence owned and trained by Tony Sedillo, is the lone stakes winner in this field of 10 New Mexico-bred colts and geldings. A $9,700 buy at last year’s New Mexico-Bred Yearling Sale, Red Rock Springs has banked $77,952, and his two wins in five outs include the June 26, $136,000 Mountain Top Thoroughbred Futurity (R).

Spartan Warrior, the 3-1 morning-line favorite, broke his maiden with a 3 ¾-length victory in his trial on July 11.

All starters will carry 120 pounds. The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds – Our Fortress (Miguel Hernandez), 12-1; Deity (Joe Martinez), 20-1; Tehuantepecer (Juan Ochoa), 6-1; Red Rock Springs (Mark Villa), 4-1; Texas Silver (Carlos Madeira), 9-2; A Ghost By Choice (Casey Lambert), 15-1; Spartan Warrior (J. Martin Bourdieu), 3-1; T E F’s Star One (Isaias Enriquez), 5-1; Elijah’s Elite (Ken Tohill), 8-1; and Running Squall (Enrique Garcia), 6-1.

Land of Enchantment Handicap (R)
Purse, $50,000; 3-year-olds & older; 7 ½-furlongs

Fullofenergy is the 3-1 morning-line choice in the field of nine, as the gelding seeks his unprecedented fourth consecutive victory in this two-turn test. Another contender from the barn of Joel Marr, Lefty Who, is a 4-year-old gelding by Quinton’s Gold who has earned $551,854 from 10 wins in 16 races for his owner and breeder, Sam E. Stevens of La Mesa, Texas.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey and weight assignments and morning-line odds – Romeos Wilson (Alejandro Medellin, 117), 8-1; Catch The Bean (Mark Villa, 115), 12-1; Fullofenergy (Carlos Madeira, 122), 3-1; Lesters Secret (Juan Ochoa, 122), 4-1; Skar (Joe Martinez, 115), 12-1; Lefty Who (Isaias Enriquez, 118), 7-2; Smarty Ghost (Ken Tohill, 116), 5-1; Brax (Casey Lambert, 117), 8-1; and Mojave Prince (Chris Zamora, 115), 8-1.