A total of 123 statebred juveniles are entered in 13 trial heats scheduled for Friday at Ruidoso Downs in preparation for the $350,000 Mountain Top Futurity, which will be held on Sunday, June 15.
The trials for the Mountain Top Futurity will get underway at 1 p.m. with the 10 fastest qualifiers from the 13 trial heats automatically entered to the restricted Grade 2 event which will be run at a distance of 350 yards.
Among the notable runners scheduled to take part in the trials for the Mountain Top Futurity is Xavier Rodriguez-trained Highcardforapoke, who has a pair of runnerup efforts in each of his first two starts. The son of Rrelentless, owned by C. Bert Eldridge, most recently was second best in the $351,000 New Mexican Spring Futurity at Sunland Park on April 5 and has amassed more than $65,000 in career earnings.
Highcardforapoke, who was installed as the 5-to-2 morning line favorite in the ninth trial heat of the Friday card, will break from the four hole with Luis Martinez scheduled to ride.
In addition to Highcardforapoke, Rodriguez will send out as many as six runners looking to find a spot in the starting gate for the Mountain Top Futurity. Rodriguez will send out 3-to-1 morning line favorite You Just Got Mooned in the opening trial heat of the day, as well as third race morning line choice Concrete Cartel, a winner in her career debut last March at Sunland Park.
Trainer Marco Flores, who saddled Harken to victory in last year’s Mountain Top Futurity, will be represented by a pair of starters in Friday’s trial heats.
Flores will send out Equestix Daddy, listed at 10-to-1 on the morning line in Friday’s fourth trial, and will also saddle Wood Dee King, a 12-to-1 longshot in the 10th trial heat of the day.
Trainer Wes Giles is scheduled to have at least one entrant in all 13 trials on Friday, as will James J. Gonzalez III. Trainer Trey Wood is scheduled to send out a runner in each of the first 12 trials.
One of the notable runners scheduled to arrive at the starting gate during Friday’s trial heats is Gonzalez-trained Luxurie, a $300,000 purchase from last year’s Ruidoso New Mexico Bred QH Yearling Sale. Owned by Triple R Racing Stables LLC, Wallace Lynn Landrum, Ted Rushing and Rancho El 48 LLC, Luxurie will make his career debut in Friday’s fifth race while breaking from post two under Christian Cardenas.
Among Luxurie’s top rivals in the fifth race will be maiden debut winner King of the Tide, who will be ridden by Ricky Ramirez from the five post. The son of Eye Am King trained by Trey Wood won at first asking in a 250-yard dash at Sunland Park on March 29.
Gonzalez will also saddle first-time starter King of the Rode, a $260,000 purchase at last year’s Ruidoso NM Bred QH Yearling Sale in the sixth race on the card. Rancho El 48 LLC, Robert Sanchez and Kim Middleton, King of the Rode has been installed at 10-to-1 on the morning line under Joseph Belloc, Jr.
Trainer Eric Valenzuela will send out Daddy Tungsten in the seventh race on the card. Purchased by Tungsten Racing Partnership and Heysol Howlet for $320,000, the son of Big Daddy Cartel finished third in his career debut in a trial for the New Mexican Spring Futurity. Sergio Becerra, Jr. will be in the irons aboard Daddy Tungsten when they break from the rail in the dash.
Trainer Clinton Crawford will be represented by Rattle Snake Red, the 7-to-2 second choice on the morning line in Friday’s 12th trial heat. Purchased for $225,000 by Lance Bland, Gary Cain, Christopher J. Lykins, Conda Maze, and Downtime Enterprises LLC, the son of Big Daddy Cartel was a well-beaten third in his career debut over a muddy track April 24 at Remington Park.
For a complete look at the entries for Friday’s trials for the Mountain Top Futurity, log on to https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/RUI053025USA-EQB.html