Four trials at Ruidoso Downs on Saturday determined the field for the June 20, $163,415 Mountain Top Thoroughbred Futurity (R) for New Mexico-bred 2-year-olds.
The 5-furlong trials were won by Jornalero, a colt by the Peace Rules stallion Chipshot trained by Juventino Ruiz for owner US Alliance Logistic; Bully Baby, a daughter of Diabolical trained by Fred Danley for owner J & SM Inc. of Fort Stockton, Texas; Aisle Runner, a gelded homebred son of Attila’s Storm trained by Todd Fincher for owners Joan Dale Hubbard and Paul Blanchard; and Zesty Jazzman, a homebred Monterey Jazz colt trained by Todd Fincher for owner Reliance Ranches LLC.
A $4,000 yearling purchase at last year’s New Mexico-Bred Sale, Jornalero won the first trial by one length from My Storm Warrior at odds of 44-1. The went 5 furlongs in :59.42 while making his career debut under jockey Armando Romero.
Jornalero is one of three starters produced by Dixie Warrior, a winning 12-year-old daughter of the Danzig stallion War Front.
Bully Baby won the second heat by a half of a length from One Mark while making his first career start. A $50,000 yearling purchase at last year’s New Mexico-Bred Sale, the bay filly stopped the timer in :58.35 under jockey Enrique Gomez.
Bully Baby is one of two winners from as many starters foaled by Shamrock Girl, a daughter of the Holy Bull stallion King Bull who won two stakes in New Mexico from 2010-11, including the 2011 La Senora Stakes (R) at Sunland Park.
Sent to post as the 8-5 favorite in the third trial, Aisle Runner made his debut with a 6 1/2-length win in :58.75. Luis Fuentes rode the bay gelding.
Aisle Runner is one of seven winners from as many starters produced by Garter, an unraced homebred daughter of Bernardini. Aisle Runner is a full brother to two New Mexico-bred stakes winners, including multiple stakes winner Go For A Stroll.
Luis Fuentes rode Zesty Jazzman to a 1 1/2-length win in the fourth heat. The chestnut colt went 5 furlongs in :59.05 in his career debut.
Zesty Jazzman is one of two winners from three starters foaled by Zesty Salsa, a stakes-placed 9-year-old daughter of Dome and a half sister to 2009 La Senora Handicap (R) winner Excessive Victory.
Todd Fincher prepped four of the trial winners.
“You never know how the babies will perform because they are all put in new positions and situations,” said Fincher. “I was most impressed with Aisle Runner because he stayed under wraps.
“Luis Fuentes did a nice job with him,” the trainer added. “He’s a 20-year-old rider who keeps improving. I think he has a bright future if he keeps working at it. It seems like the horses Luis rides seem to have enough left in them to finish well.”
The first two finishers from Saturday’s trials made the Mountain Top Thoroughbred Futurity final. There was a shake from the four third-place finishers for the ninth and 10th spots in the starting gate, and that shake was won by Seventh Hennessy and Shamefully Sweet.
The complete list of qualifiers appears in alphabetical order below.
| Horse (Sex, Pedigree) | Owner | Breeder (State) | Trainer |
| AISLE RUNNER G, Attila’s Storm-Garter by Bernardini | Joan Dale Hubbard and Paul Blanchard | R.D. Hubbard (NM) | Todd Fincher |
| BENJAMIN WHO G, Indian Firewater-Blue Eyed Bella by Le Grande Danseur | Sam E. Stevens and Sammy L. Stevens | Sam E. Stevens and Sammy L. Stevens (NM) | Todd Fincher |
| BULLY BABY F, Diabolical-Shamrock Girl by King Bull | J & SM Inc. | Bar Y Equine LLC (NM) | Fred Danley |
| FILL THE BILL F, Attila’s Storm-Ringback by Gone Hollywood | J & SM Inc. | Fred Alexander (NM) | Fred Danley |
| JORNALERO C, Chipshot-Dixie Warrior by War Front | US Alliance Logistic | Stephen R. Brown (NM) | Juventino Ruiz |
| MY STORM WARRIOR G, Attila’s Storm-Key To My Warrior by Majestic Warrior | Dale F. Taylor Racing LLC | Dale Taylor and Debbie Taylor (NM) | Todd Fincher |
| ONE MARK G, Marking-Cherry One by Sir Cherokee | Ted Rushing and R. Lee Lewis | Cleber J. Massey (NM) | Todd Fincher |
| SEVENTH HENNESSY F, Marking-Hennessy Road by Roll Hennessy Roll | William Davis Moore and Lisa Moore | Lisa Moore and Davis Moore (NM) | Casey Lambert |
| SHAMEFULLY SWEET F, Shame On Charlie-Souper Sweet by Alphabet Soup | Barbara Brown | Barbara Brown (NM) | Roy Marcom Jr. |
| ZESTY JAZZMAN C, Monterey Jazz-Zesty Salsa by Dome | Reliance Ranches LLC | Reliance Ranches LLC (NM) | Todd Fincher |