Sixty-three state-bred 3-year-old Quarter Horses — headed by graded stakes winners Talbott (pictured), KJ Daddys Money and Pick Your Pour — will make their next starts in Saturday’s Mountain Top Derby (R) trials at Ruidoso Downs.
The 10 fastest qualifiers from Saturday’s seven 350-yard heats will square off in the $150,000 Mountain Top Derby final on June 17.
Talbott will be making his 3-year-old season debut off of a juvenile campaign during which he earned $317,905 from six starts and scored a half-length victory in the 400-yard, $626,000 New Mexico State Fair Futurity (RG3) at Albuquerque Downs on September 25. A $23,000 yearling purchase at the 2021 New Mexico-Bred Sale at Ruidoso Downs, the gray Big Daddy Cartel gelding is trained by Juan M. Gonzalez for owner Manuel Camacho.
Talbott drew post 3 and will be ridden by Carlos Guillen Chacon in the first trial.
KJ Daddys Money is a bay daughter of Big Daddy Cartel trained by Wes Giles for owners John and Kathy Lee and Ruben Mares. The homebred filly ended her 2-year-old season with a three-quarter length win in the August 7, $380,000 Zia Futurity (RG1) at Ruidoso Downs, and she began her sophomore campaign with a neck victory in the March 4, 350-yard Sunburst Stakes (RG3) at Sunland Park.
KJ Daddys Money drew post 2 and will be ridden by Adrian Ramos in the fifth heat.
Pick Your Pour will be making his 3-year-old season debut off of a 2022 campaign during which he won three of four races, including the June 19, $342,000 Mountain Top Futurity (RG2) at Ruidoso Downs, and earned $223,974. A $25,000 purchase at the 2021 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale, the Jesse James Jr gelding is trained by James Gonzales II for owners Orlando Granillo, Asucena Mendoza and Rene Mendoza.
Pick Your Pour drew post 6 and will be ridden by Mario Delgado in the fourth trial.