Heza Classy Now, a homebred son of the Mr Jess Perry stallion Rock Solid Jess owned by Bob and Sissie McClure, is the fastest qualifier to the July 13, $358,950 Mountain Top Futurity (RG2) for New Mexico-bred 2-year-old Quarter Horses.
Racing in the fifth of 13 350-yard trials at Ruidoso Downs on Friday, Heza Classy Now defeated eighth-fastest qualifier Surfz Up by 1 3/4 lengths while recording his first win in two starts. The bay colt covered his trip in :17.712 while aided by a recorded 13-mph tail wind. Paul Nieto rode Heza Classy Now for trainer Harvey Baeza.
Heza Classy Now is out of Shez Classy Now, a multiple graded stakes winning daughter of champion Now I Know. An earner of $2,740, he was coming off of a seventh-place finish in a 300-yard, $12,300 maiden-special-weight dash at Remington Park on May 2.
Second-fastest qualifier Jessies Allstar broke his maiden with a neck victory from odds-on favorite and fourth-fastest qualifier Midnight Train Mo in the sixth heat. Ridden by Sergio Becerra Jr. for owners Denis and Julie Schoenhofer and trainer Gerald Reed, the gelded son of Jesse James Jr covered his trip in :17.859 while aided by a reported 5-mph tail wind.
Jessies Allstar was bred by Mac and Janis Murray’s MJ Farms of Veguita, New Mexico. A $30,000 yearling buy at last year’s New Mexico-Bred Sale at Ruidoso Downs, the gelding is out of Woodys Allstar, a 9-year-old daughter of Woodbridge who won the 2014 Shue Fly Stakes (RG2) at Sunland Park.
Leading Cartel, the third-fastest qualifier, kept his undefeated record intact with a three-quarter length victory as the 9-10 favorite in the eighth trial. Under jockey Esgar Ramirez, who rode Leading Cartel for owner Reliance Ranches LLC and trainer Mike Robbins, the Big Daddy Cartel gelding covered 350 yards in :17.900 while racing against a reported 7-mph head wind.
Leading Cartel was a $45,000 purchase from breeder MJ Farms at last year’s New Mexico-Bred Sale. He is out of Leading Diva, a daughter of Special Leader who won the 2000 Manor Downs Lassie Futurity (G3). Leading Cartel has won both of his outs, including a 300-yard maiden-special-weight sprint at Remington Park on May 1, and he has banked $9,814.
The complete list of finalists appears below:
| Horse (Sex, Pedigree) | Owner | Breeder (State) | Trainer | Time |
| HEZA CLASSY NOW C, Rock Solid Jess-Shez Classy Now by Now I Know | Bob & Sissie McClure | Bob & Sissie McClure (NM) | Harvey Baeza | :17.712 |
| JESSIES ALLSTAR G, Jessie James Jr-Woodys Allstar by Woodbridge | Denis & Julie Schoenhofer | MJ Farms (NM) | Gerald Reed | :17.859 |
| LEADING CARTEL G, Big Daddy Cartel-Leading Diva by Special Leader | Reliance Ranches LLC | MJ Farms (NM) | Mike Robbins | :17.900 |
| MIDNIGHT TRAIN MO C, Rock Solid Jess-Not Sable Shes Rose by Coronas Blackdiamond | Mason A. King | Sarah Donaldson Rioux (NM) | Juan Martin Triana | :17.905 |
| LUNAS GLITTERINGSTAR F, First Moonflash-Seis Star Glitter by Tres Seis | Hugo Barron Sierra | Hugo Barron Sierra (NM) | Janell Sanderson | :17.944 |
| WOODYS GOLD G, Woodbridge-All About Gold (TB) by Gold Case (TB) | Cavenaugh Quarter Horses LLC | MJ Farms (NM) | Clint Crawford | :17.950 |
| HATCHI ZULU C, Zulu Dragon-Effortless Eagle by One Famous Eagle | Nahum Prieto | Nahum Prieto (NM) | Janell Sanderson | :17.953 |
| SURFZ UP F, Corona Surfer-Mitey Moon by First Moonflash | Guadalupe Cortez | Debra Laney (NM) | Sergio Ibarra | :17.954 |
| CANNELLONI F, Jess A Chicks-Machi Moon by Dash Ta Fame | Paola A. Torres | Dosi or Norma Alvarez (NM) | Janell Sanderson | :17.962 |
| EZZE DASH F, Zulu Dragon-Lionett by Metallic Lion | Calder Ezzell and Candy Ezzell | Ezze Racing | Mike Joiner | :17.966 |