Nineteen New Mexico-bred 2-year-old colts and geldings, topped by stakes winner My Storm Warrior, are entered in two 5 1/2-furlong Rio Grande Senor Futurity (R) trials at Ruidoso Downs on Friday.
Trained by Todd Fincher, My Storm Warrior is a homebred Attila’s Storm gelding owned by Dale F. Taylor Racing LLC. My Storm Warrior has earned $82,508 from two outs this summer, and he will be stretching out off of his victory in the 5-furlong, $163,000 Mountain Top Futurity (R) on June 20.
My Storm Warrior is one of four winners from as many starters produced by Key To My Warrior, a winning daughter of Majestic Warrior and a half sister to Love N’ Kiss S., the winner of the second division of the 2001 Pebbles Handicap (G3) at Belmont Park. The gelding is a full brother to Stormin Fast, the third-place finisher in last year’s Copper Top Futurity (R) at Sunland Park.
My Storm Warrior drew post 8 and will be ridden by Frank Reyes in the first trial. His eight opponents in the first heat include Dan Who, a homebred Abstraction gelding trained by Todd Fincher for owners Sam E. Stevens and Sammy Stevens of Lamesa, Texas. Dan Who made his debut with a wire-to-wire, two-length victory in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden-special-weight dash on June 19.
Dan Who drew the rail post and will be ridden by Alfredo Juarez Jr.
The second trial is headed by Aisle Runner, a homebred son of Attila’s Storm campaigned by Joan Dale Hubbard and Paul Blanchard. A finalist in the Mountain Top Futurity, the gelding has banked $12,205 from two races.
Aisle Runner is one of seven winners from as many starters foaled by Garter, an unraced daughter of Bernardini and a half sister to Grade 1 winner Stravinsky and stakes winner Moscow Ballet (IRE). The gelding is full brother to stakes winners Stormy Day and Go For A Stroll.
Aisle Runner drew post 8 and will be ridden by Luis Fuentes for trainer Todd Fincher.
Other prominent entries in the second heat include Reliance Ranches LLC’s Zesty Jazzman, a homebred Monterey Jazz colt trained by Todd Fincher. Zesty Jazzman has won one of two starts and has earned $4,851, and he was a finalist in the Mountain Top Futurity.
Zesty Jazzman is one of two winners from three starters produced by Zesty Salsa, a stakes-placed Dome mare and a half sister to 2009 La Senora Handicap (R) winner Excessive Victory. The colt drew post 10 and will be ridden by Jimmy Ray Coates.
The top five finishers in each Rio Grande Senor Futurity trial will meet in the $125,000-est. final on August 16.