Trainer James J Gonzales III dominates Mountain Top Futurity trials
ALBUQUERQUE — Trainer James J Gonzales III will have as many as four starters in the gate for the $310,303 Mountain Top N.M. Bred Quarter Horse Futurity following a banner day at Albuquerque Downs during trials on Friday.
Despite a headwind that persisted for much of the 11-race card, Gonzales saddled two winners in trial heats for the 350-yard dash, but finished the day with four of the 10 fastest qualifiers for the final, which runs here on Sunday, June 14.
Leading the charge for Gonzales is debut winner Shafer (pictured), who won his trial by more than two lengths and earned the role as fastest qualifier for the Mountain Top Futurity.
Ridden by Christian Cardenas, Shafer was a commanding winner in the second trial, edging clear by 2 1/4 lengths and stopping the timer in 17.297 seconds despite racing into a 15-mile per hour headwind.
Owned by Triple R Racing Stables LLC, Tye Baca, Tungsten Racing Partnership and Ted Rushing, Shafer is a son of Big Daddy Cartel out of the champion mare Astica. He was a $350,000 purchase at the 2025 Ruidoso New Mexico Bred Yearling Sale from breeder MJ Farms.
Gonzales also sent out another debut winner in Bigg Cartel, who failed to qualify for the final, but did secure a spot in the $50,000 Mountain Top Juvenile.
Sand And Sea, who finished second behind Perrys Alibi in the day’s first trial, also qualified for the Futurity for Gonzales, along with Felton Road and Cartel Stars.
Felton Road finished second behind Bigg Twist in the third trial, while Cartel Stars finished second in the eighth trial behind Baby Daddy Cartel.
Gonzales will be looking for his second consecutive win in the Mountain Top N.M. Bred Futurity after capturing the victory last year with Luxurie.
Trained by David Gomez-Barraza, Perrys Alibi earned the role of second-fastest qualifier for the Mountain Top Futurity, winning the first trial heat in 17.385 seconds under Jaime Leos
Owned by Upper Valley Racing Partners LLC, Perrys Alibi is a son of BP Cartels Alibi bred in New Mexico by Carlos Carrasco. His trial win was the first in his four-race career and comes off a third-place finish in the New Mexico Breeders’ Futurity on May 16 at SunRay Park and Casino.
Barraza will also have Imma Dandy in the Futurity; the horse won Friday’s sixth trial heat and qualified as the eighth-fastest qualifier with a final time of 17.535 seconds.
Trainer Omar Vargas also will have a pair of starters in the Mountain Top Futurity, headlined by stakes winner Bridger, who won the seventh trial of the day convincingly by 1 3/4 lengths under Jose Ortiz.
Bridger, a son of Eye Am King, is coming off a win in the New Mexican Spring Futurity at Sunland Park in April. He has won all three of his career starts and has earned more than $195,000. Bred in New Mexico by MJ Farms and owned by Tungsten Racing Partnership (Marcelino Gonzalez et al) and Rancho El 48 LLC, Bridger checks in as the third fastest quaifier for the Mountain Top Futurity, stopping the clock in 17.4 seconds.
Vargas also sent out Tungsten Racing Partnership’s Baby Daddy Cartel to a strong win in the eighth trial of the day, earning the role of fourth-fastest qualifier with a time of 17.417 seconds under Luis Flores-Garcia.
The list of 10 fastest qualifiers for the Mountain Top N.M. Bred Quarter Horse Futurity:
Shafer – :17.297
Perrys Alibi – :17.385
Bridger – :17.400
Baby Daddy Cartel – :17.417
Sand and Sea – :17.464
Bigg Twist – :17.482
Felton Road – :17.495
Imma Dandy – :17.535
Daddys China – :17.581
Cartel Stars – :17.589
The list of finalists for the $50,000 Mountain Top Juvenile:
Tempered Daddy – :17.593
Hestan – :17.613 (tie)
First Flash Beauty – :17.613 (tie)
Moonin the Moon – :17.632
Restart – :17.640
Reniko – :17.649
Bigg Cartel – :17.651
Jess a Corona Dash – :17.687 (tie)
Eye Am Punchy – :17.687 (tie)
Bogarts Dreamgirl – :17.706