Ten 2-year-old New Mexico-bred Thoroughbreds, headed by trial winners Marked and Life Jacket, are entered in Saturday’s 5-furlong, $125,000 Mountain Top Thoroughbred Futurity (R) at Ruidoso Downs.
Marked is a homebred daughter of the Bernardini stallion Marking trained by Todd Fincher for owners R. Lee Lewis and Brad E. King. The filly made her career debut with a wire-to-wire, 6 1/4-length victory in the first of two trials on June 12.
Marked is the first starter produced by Lookin Better, an unraced 7-year-old daughter of five-time Grade 1 winner Lookin At Lucky. Marked’s second dam, the winning Thunder Gulch mare Better Again, is a full sister to Grade 3 winner Better Now. Marked drew the rail post and will be ridden by Tracy Hebert.
Life Jacket is trained by Todd Fincher for owners Dale F. Taylor Racing LLC and Bob Matney. The 1 3/4-length winner of the second Mountain Top Futurity trial heat, the Abstraction gelding is out of Partyband, a winning daughter of the Dixieland Band stallion Chimes Band and finalist in the 2006 Copper Top Futurity (R) at Sunland Park.
Life Jacket is one of nine winners from as many starters foaled by Partyband, and he is a half brother to multiple stakes winner Roll Out The Band and stakes winner Raider Red. The gelding drew post 2 and will be ridden by Aldo Arboleda.
Lonzo Who, a homebred son of the Indian Charlie stallion Comfort, finished a closer second to Life Jacket in his trial. Trained by Todd Fincher for owners Sam E. Stevens and Sammy L. Stevens of Lamesa, Texas, the bay gelding is one of three winners from four starters produced by the winning Not For Love mare Weekends For Love, and he is a half brother to Jonathan Who, the runner-up in last year’s $50,000 Manzano Stakes at The Downs at Albuquerque.
Lonzo Who drew post 9 and will be ridden by Miguel Fuentes Jr.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
Marked (Tracy Hebert), 3-5
Life Jacket (Aldo Arboleda), 10-1
Warriors Mark (Erick Medellin), 15-1
Lead Monterey (Maria L. Baca), 5-1
Right On Time (Jimmy Ray Coates), 12-1
Chippster (Christian Ramos), 30-1
Annie Get Ur Guns (Alfredo Sigala), 20-1
Mark’s Warrior (Francisco Amparan), 8-1
Lonzo Who (Miguel Fuentes Jr.), 7-2
Mr. Mercedes (Luis H. Rodriguez), 30-1