Two trials on Sunday at Albuquerque Downs determined the field for the October 15, $160,000-added New Mexico State Fair Thoroughbred Futurity (R).
Payingoffmymarker and Community Leader finished in a dead heat for the win in the first trial, while Mark It (pictured) scored a 3 1/4-length victory in the second heat. Payingoffmymaker and Community Leader each covered 6 furlongs in 1:12.51, and Mark It stopped the timer in 1:11.18.
Payingoffmymarker was trained by Todd Fincher and ridden by Tracy Hebert for owner Dustin Brooks. A homebred daughter of the Bernardini stallion Marking, the filly is the first starter produced by Domesday Gal, a winning 10-year-old daughter of the Storm Cat stallion Dome and a full sister to multiple stakes winner Thunder Dome.
Payingoffmymarker has won two of four starts and has earned $30,139.
Community Leader races for J. Kirk and Judy Robison of El Paso, Texas, from the barn of trainer Todd Fincher. Felipe Valdez rode the homebred son of the Artax stallion Diabolical.
Community Leader has banked $138,200 from five outs, and he was coming off of a Ruidoso Downs summer campaign during which he won the June 25, 5-furlong Mountain Top Futurity (R), and the August 6, 5 1/2-furlong Rio Grande Senor Futurity (R). The gelding is the first starter foaled by Midnight Summer, a winning 8-year-old daughter of the Real Quiet stallion Midnight Lute purchased by the Robisons for $32,000 at the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Making his career debut, Milk It was ridden by Francisco Amparan for owners R. Dwain Yarbar, MCM Stables LLC, and Greg Green, who also trains the gelded son of the Indian Charlie stallion Shame On Charlie. Milk It is out of Campfire Party, a winning daughter of the Forestry stallion Forest Danger who has produced five winners from as many starters, including Nostrangrtotherain, a stakes-winning full brother to Milk It.
The complete list of finalists appears in alphabetical order below:
| Horse (Sex, Pedigree) | Owner | Breeder (State) | Trainer |
| COMMUNITY LEADER G, Diabolical-Midnight Summer by Midnight Lute | Kirk and Judy Robison | J. Kirk and Judy Robison (NM) | Todd Fincher |
| EL HUARACHE PRIETO G, Justin Phillip-Zilly by Western Gambler | Juan Rodriguez | Juan Rodriguez (NM) | Arturo Chavez |
| FAUZETA’S FLAME F, Capitol Guy-Fauzeta by Distorted Humor | John McClintic and Erin McClintic | John McClintic, Pat McClintic, and Mike Abraham (NM) | Larry Chavez |
| MAKE UP A STORY F, Marking-Holiday Heat by Southwestern Heat | J. Kirk and Judy Robison (NM) | J. Kirk and Judy Robison (NM) | Todd Fincher |
| MARK IT DOWN F, Marking-Lady Genius by Quinton’s Gold | Mike H. Carson and Bill Carson | Bill Carson, Mike Carson, and Leach Racing LLC (NM) | Dallas Barton |
| MILK IT G, Shame On Charlie-Campfire Party by Forest Danger | Greg Green, R. Dwain Yarbar and MCM Stables LLC | Greg Green and Dwain Yarbar (NM) | Greg Green |
| PAYINGOFFMYMARKER F, Marking-Domesday Gal by Dome | Dustin Brooks | Dustin Brooks (NM) | Todd Fincher |
| RAIL RUNNER G, Laugh Track-Clancy’s Candy by Candy Ride (ARG) | Olga Toquinto | Mike Abraham (NM) | Ever Olguin |
| STREET MARK F, Marking-Sophronia by Street Sense | Glen Robertson and Bobby J. McQueen | Glen Robertson (NM) | Adam Archuleta |
| WALK ON WHISKEY F, Capitol Guy-Old Fashioned Gal by Old Fashioned | John McClintic and Erin McClintic | John McClintic (NM) | Larry Chavez |
| WAY TO RULE F, Rule By Night-Swapping Lanes by The Way Home | Helen Nave | Helen Nave (NM) | Todd Fincher |