Josefina Guzman’s Flashin Fire (pictured), a graded stakes winning son of champion First Moonflash, is the fastest qualifier to the October 31, $350,000-est. New Mexico Cup Futurity (RG2).
Racing in the last of six 350-yard trials on Sunday, Flashin Fire defeated second-fastest qualifier Daddies Wish by a nose in :17.939. Juan Pulido rode the sorrel gelding for trainer Santos Carrizales Jr.
Flashin Fire was bred by Donna McPherson and Mike Abraham, and he was claimed by his current connections for $20,000 at Remington Park on April 11. Since the claim, the gelding has won two of his three races, including the 400-yard, $320,000 Zia Futurity (RG1) at Ruidoso Downs on August 1.
Flashin Fire has won three of his five outs and has earned $144,549.
Daddies Wish covered 350 yards in :17.942 under jockey Adrian Ramos. Eric Valenzuela prepped the gray Big Daddy Cartel filly for owners Julie A. Schoenhofer and Maricela Vasquez.
Daddies Wish was bred by Mac and Janis Murray’s MJ Farms at Veguita, New Mexico. A $32,000 purchase at last year’s Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale, the filly has banked $16,035 from seven races. She is out of Wish You Had One To, a winning and multiple graded stakes placed Stel Corona mare, and she is a half sister to graded stakes placed runners Jess Tequila Talkin and Burn One Down For Me.
Third-fastest qualifier LMG First Call won the fifth heat by a neck from fourth-fastest qualifier Liarliarlegsonfire. Ridden by Jose Alvarez for owner LMG Racing Inc. and trainer Mike Joiner, the homebred First Moonflash gelding stopped the timer in :17.989 while posting his second win in six starts.
LMG First Call has banked $29,308. The brown gelding is out of Fishers Fib, a 14-year-old daughter of the First Down Dash stallion Fishers Dash.
Liarliarlegsonfire covered 350 yards in :18.013. The gelded son of the Corona Cartel stallion Ice On Fire V was ridden by Jorge Torres for owners Ken Crawford and Cathy Crawford, and trainer Clint Crawford.
Liarliarlegsonfire was bred by Kim Saunders and was a $4,000 yearling purchase at last year’s New Mexico-Bred Sale. The gelding has won two of six races and has earned $26,600.
Seventh-fastest qualifier Jess Ring The Bell was the only finalists to come out of the first four trials, which were hampered by a reported head wind of between 17-30 miles per hour. The remaining nine qualifiers came out of the last two heats.
The complete list of finalists appears below:
| Horse (Sex, Pedigree) | Owner | Breeder (State) | Trainer | Time |
| FLASHIN FIRE G, First Moonflash-Episode Of Fire by Walk Thru Fire | Josefina Guzman | Donna McPherson and Mike Abraham (NM) | Santos Carrizales Jr. | :17.939 |
| DADDIES WISH F, Big Daddy Cartel-Wish You Had One To by Stel Corona | Julie A. Schoenhofer and Maricela Vasquez | MJ Farms (NM) | Eric Valenzuela | :17.942 |
| LMG FIRST CALL G, First Moonflash-Call Me 333 by One Sweet Jess | LMG Racing Inc. | LMG Racing Inc. (NM) | Mike Joiner | :17.989 |
| LIARLIARLEGSONFIRE G, Ice On Fire V-Fishers Fib by Fishers Dash | Ken Crawford and Cathy Crawford | Kim Saunders (NM) | Clint Crawford | :18.013 |
| JESSES DINERO C, First Moonflash-Chicks Chamisa by Chicks A Blazin | L O S LLC | Mike Abraham (NM) | Eric Valenzuela | :18.098 |
| RZ RICHY G, JM Specialwynn-Streakin Cheval Ryon by Streakin Sixes | Raul Zamora | Raul Zamora (NM) | Guadalupe Munoz Jr. | :18.099 |
| JESS RING THE BELL G, Jess A Chicks-First Tinkerbell by First Down Dash | NJ Farms LLC | W.L. or Dee Mooring (NM) | Jorge Morales-Flores | :18.147 |
| RALLY UP THE ALLEY G, Big Daddy Cartel-Lucky Ladyaces by Lucky Aces N Eights | Carroll A. Durbin | Carroll A. Durbin (NM) | Kenneth Durbin | :18.179 |
| ILLEGAL REVIEW G, Big Daddy Cartel-Famous Poet by Dash Ta Fame | La Feliz Montana Ranch LLC | Bauer Farm LLC (NM) | Juan D. Torres | :18.200 |
| SMITTIN F, Woodbridge-Fast Copy Miss by Heza Fast Man | Heavy Hitters Racing Stables and Triple R Racing Stables | MJ Farms (NM) | Jason Driver | :18.204 |