Ricanelo (pictured, blue cap), a gelded son of Big Daddy Cartel racing for E. Gene Bradley and Tod Bradley, is the fastest qualifier to the June 19, $341,362 Mountain Top Futurity (RG2) for New Mexico-bred 2-year-old Quarter Horses.
Racing in the second of 13 trials at Ruidoso Downs on June 3, Ricanelo covered 350 yards in :17.853 while defeating second-fastest qualifier Fine Am Eye by a half of a length. Tanner Thedford rode the gelding for trainer Trey Wood.
Ricanelo was making his first start since March 19, when he ran fourth, three-quarters of a length behind winner Tres Crystals, in the 300-yard, $440,800 Oklahoma Futurity (G2) at Remington Park. The gelding was bred by Mikkelson Racing LLC, and he was purchased by the Bradleys as a yearling for $90,000 at last year’s New Mexico-Bred Sale.
Ricanelo is out of Total Miracle, a winning and multiple graded stakes placed daughter of champion Dean Miracle, and he is a half brother to multiple graded stakes winner Princess Jesse. The gelding has won two of his three races and has earned $49,002.
Four of the 10 Mountain Top qualifiers came out of the second heat, including Fine Am Eye. A daughter of the Mr Jess Perry stallion Eye Am King owned by Backdoor Thoroughbreds LLC, the sorrel filly covered 350 yards in :17.916 in her career debut. Noe Garcia Jr. rode Fine Am Eye for trainer Fred Danley.
Fine Am Eye was bred by Mac and Janis Murray’s MJ Farms at Veguita, New Mexico, and she was a $27,000 yearling buy at last year’s New Mexico-Bred Sale.
Third-fastest qualifier KJ Daddys Money won the third trial by a neck from sixth-fastest qualifier Kings Touch. Trained by Wes Giles for owners John Lee, Kathy Lee, and Ruben Mares, the homebred bay Big Daddy Cartel filly stopped the timer in :17.919 while scoring her first win in three starts.
KJ Daddys Money was stretching out in distance off of her third-place finish, one length behind winner Cartel Racer, in the April 3, 300-yard New Mexican Spring Fling Stakes (R) at Sunland Park. The filly has banked $10,880.
The complete list of finalists appears below:
| Horse (Sex, Pedigree) | Owner | Breeder (State) | Trainer | Time |
| RICANELO G, Big Daddy Cartel-Total Miracle by Dean Miracle | Gene Bradley and Tod Bradley | Mikkelson Racing LLC (NM) | Trey Wood | :17.853 |
| FINE AM EYE F, Eye Am King-Starsmith by Tres Seis | Backdoor Thoroughbreds LLC | MJ Farms (NM) | Fred Danley | :17.916 |
| KJ DADDYS MONEY F, Big Daddy Cartel-KJ Kiss Me Goodbye by First Moonflash | John Lee, Kathy Lee and Ruben Mares | John & Kathy Lee (NM) | Wes Giles | :17.919 |
| ONE SWEET LOVE F, Jesse James Jr-Sugars First Love by Tempting Dash | Dixie Patterson and Melany Lipar | Randy or Sandy Coleman (NM) | Donna McArthur | :17.948 |
| FAST FLASHN G, A Passion For Flashn-Hope Sheza Fast by Louisiana Senator | Billy Tarango | Bob & Sissie McClure (NM) | James J. Gonzales II | :17.967 |
| KINGS TOUCH C, Eye Am King-Physical Touch by Heza Fast Dash | Jay Glover and Gary Stallings | William or Mary Robertson (NM) | Casey Lambert | :17.969 |
| PICK YOUR POUR G, Jesse James Jr-Tangled Vines by Dash Ta Fame | Orlando Granillo, Azucena Mendoza, and Rene Mendoza | MJ Farms (NM) | James J. Gonzales II | :17.973 |
| LA PANTERA F, Chicks Regard-Cartier Panther by Carters Cartel | Robert M. Driggers, Del Rae Driggers and Ben Lee Ivey | Robert or Del Rae Driggers (NM) | Wes Giles | :17.980 |
| REEF RIDGE G, Woodbridge-Fast Copy Miss by Heza Fast Man | E. Gene Bradley and Tod Bradley | MJ Farms (NM) | Trey Wood | :17.986 |
| WHISKY ROAD G, Woodbridge-Charger On Devon by Man On The Moon | Juan A. Macias | Terry or Nan Lane (NM) | Rigoberto Guillen | :18.022 |