The field is set for the August 14, $128,760 Rio Grande Senorita Futurity (R) for New Mexico-bred 2-year-old Thoroughbred fillies at Ruidoso Downs.
Better Believe (pictured) and Doer Not A Faker won the two 5 1/2-furlong trials run on July 29. Trained by Todd Fincher for owners R. Lee Lewis and Brad E. King, Better Believe won the second heat by a clear nine lengths in 1:04.65. Christian Ramos rode the homebred bay daughter of the Bernardini stallion Marking.
Better Believe was making her first start since May 8, when she ran second, two lengths behind wire-to-wire winner Nostrangrtothetrain, in the 4 1/2-furlong, $100,000 C.O. “Ken” Kendrick Memorial Stakes (R) at SunRay Park. The filly has won two of her three starts and has earned $42,200.
Better Believe is out of Lookin Better, an unraced homebred 8-year-old daughter of the Smart Strike stallion Lookin At Lucky. The filly is a full sister to 2021 Mountain Top Futurity (R) winner Marked.
Doer Not A Faker won the first trial by 5 1/4 lengths in 1:05.75. Alfredo Juarez Jr. rode the bay daughter of Diabolical for owners J. Kirk and Judy Robison of El Paso, Texas, and trainer Todd Fincher.
Doer Not A Faker was bred by the Robisons and Downstream Racing LLC. The filly is out of Complete Package, a winning Virginia-bred daughter of the Danzig stallion Boundary, and she is a full sister to three-time New Mexico-bred stakes winner That’s The Idea.
Doer Not A Faker has won both of her races and has banked $10,230. The filly made her debut with a three-length victory on a muddy track in a 5-furlong, $11,050 maiden-special-weight race for New Mexico-bred 2-year-olds at Ruidoso Downs on June 19.
The winner of the Rio Grande Senorita Futurity will earn the $64,380 winner’s share of the purse. The complete list of finalists appears in alphabetical order below:
| Horse (Sex, Pedigree) | Owner | Breeder (State) | Trainer |
| ATILLAS ANGEL F, Attila’s Storm-Ringback by Gone Hollywood | Joe Dee Brooks and R. Lee Lewis | Fred Alexander (NM) | Todd Fincher |
| BETTER BELIEVE F, Marking-Lookin Better by Lookin At Lucky | Lee Lewis and Brad E. King | Lee Lewis and Brad King (NM) | Todd Fincher |
| BRYNS MARK F, Marking-Bryn’s Fancy Pants by Southwestern Heat | Dale F. Taylor Racing LLC | Dale Taylor and Debbie Taylor (NM) | Todd Fincher |
| BYE BYE BROOKY F, Attila’s Storm-Hang Glide by Dome | B4 Farms LLC | R.D. Hubbard (NM) | Todd Fincher |
| DOER NOT A FAKER F, Diabolical-Complete Package by Boundary | Kirk & Judy Robison | J. Kirk & Judy Robison and Downstream Racing LLC | Todd Fincher |
| LADIES SISTER F, Laugh Track-Diamond Bracelet by Metfield | Dick Wellborn and Wacy Walraven | Mike Abraham (NM) | Dick Wellborn |
| MAMA WAS A ROCKET F, Diabolical-Gator Prowl by Roar Of The Tiger | J. Kirk & Judy Robison | J. Kirk & Judy Robison and Downstream Racing LLC | Todd Fincher |
| PRETTY PEPPY F, Indestructible-Always A Chance by Redattore (BRZ) | Richard E. Ford and Fred Sorenson | Larry Zufelt (NM) | Jimmy Collier |
| SHEZA HAILSTORM F, Attila’s Storm-Plenty Of Joy by Diabolical | S & G Racing LLC | S & G Racing (NM) | Raymond Valerio |
| STORMY DAME F, Attila’s Storm-Ritzy Dame by Distorted Humor | Ray Willis | Fred Alexander (NM) | Chris Zamora |