Heza Classy Now, a homebred son of the Mr Jess Perry stallion Rock Solid Jess and the fastest qualifier, heads a field of 10 New Mexico-bred juveniles entered in Saturday’s 350-yard, $350,000 Mountain Top Futurity (RG1) at Ruidoso Downs.
Heza Classy Now broke his maiden with a 1 3/4-length victory in the fifth of 13 Mountain Top Futurity trials on May 29. The colt is out of Shez Classy Now, a daughter of champion Now I Know who won two graded stakes at the 870-yard distance, including the 2006 John Augustine Stakes (G3) at Albuquerque Downs.
Heza Classy Now drew post 3 and will be ridden by Paul Nieto for owners Bob and Sissie McClure and trainer Harvey Baeza.
Second-fastest qualifier Jessies Allstar is a gelded son of Jesse James Jr trained by Gerald Reed for owners Denis and Julie Schoenhofer of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. A $30,000 yearling purchase at last year’s New Mexico-Bred Sale at Ruidoso Downs, Jessies Allstar is coming off of a neck victory in the sixth Mountain Top trial.
Jessies Allstar drew post 4 and will be ridden by Sergio Becerra Jr.
Trainer Janell Sanderson will send out three Mountain Top finalists, including Nahum Prieto’s Hatchi Zulu. A homebred son of Zulu Dragon, the gelding made his debut with a wire-to-wire, 1 1/4-length victory in the 13th Mountain Top trial.
Hatchi Zulu drew the rail post and will be ridden by Mauro Salcedo.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments:
Hatchi Zulu (Mauro Salcedo), 6-1
Lunas Glitteringstar (Manuel Gutierrez), 8-1
Heza Classy Now (Paul Nieto), 7-2
Jessies Allstar (Sergio Becerra Jr.), 9-2
Leading Cartel (Esgar Ramirez), 3-1
Ezze Dash (Raul Ramirez Jr.), 15-1
Cannelloni (Jaime Parga Leos), 12-1
Surfz Up (Adrian Ramos), 15-1
Woodys Gold (Francisco Calderon), 10-1
Midnight Train Mo (Alfredo Triana Jr.), 20-1