Seven state-bred Quarter Horse stakes, topped by the 350-yard, $360,345 New Mexico Cup Futurity (RG2), will be contested on Monday at Zia Park.
Following is a preview of all seven stakes:
NEW MEXICO CUP FUTURITY (RG2)
Purse, $360,345 — 2-year-olds
350 yards
Joe Rios’ Eagles And Dragons drew post 7 for Monday’s New Mexico Cup Futurity.
The fastest qualifier, Eagles And Dragons is coming off of a two-length victory in the last of eight trials on October 19. The gelded son of the First Down Dash stallion Zulu Dragon has won three of five races and has earned $73,600, and he was a finalist in Quarter Horse racing’s richest and most prestigious race, the September 7, $3-million All American Futurity (G1) at Ruidoso Downs.
Eagles And Dragons will be ridden by Jaime P. Leos for trainer Juan M. Gonzalez. Other contenders include second-fastest qualifier Bigg Dee, a Big Daddy Cartel gelding trained by James J. Gonzales II for owner Rex King. A $30,000 yearling purchase at last year’s New Mexico-Bred Sale at Ruidoso Downs, Bigg Dee has banked $31,840 from six outs, and his three wins include a wire-to-wire, 1 1/4-length victory in the 400-yard, $50,000 Zia Juvenile Stakes (R) at Ruidoso Downs on July 26.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments:
Mr Money Baggs (Sergio Dominguez)
Midnight Train Mo (Adrian Ramos)
Icy Morning Breeze (Hector Aldrete)
Your Easy Jess (Edgar Martinez)
Affinity Eagle (Esgar Ramirez)
Bigg Dee (Mario Delgado)
Eagles And Dragons (Jaime P. Leos)
Dragon On Ice (Paul Nieto)
Out N Gone (Sergio Becerra Jr.)
Hatchi Zulu (Benito Baca)
NEW MEXICO CUP DERBY (RG2)
Purse, $247,735 — 400 yards
3-year-olds
Donelli (pictured), a homebred multiple stakes winning daughter of Big Daddy Cartel owned by Mac and Janis Murray’s MJ Farms, is one of 10 sophomores entered back in Monday’s New Mexico Cup Derby.
Trained by Wes Giles, Donelli has earned $195,203 from seven races this season, and her four wins include a three-quarter length victory in the 400-yard, $252,000 New Mexico State Fair Derby (RG3) at Albuquerque Downs on September 20. The filly drew post 4 and will be ridden by Benito Baca.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments:
Perrys Regard (Alfredo Sigala)
Close To Crazy (Adrian Ramos)
Javys Brown Sugar (Federico Martinez)
Donelli (Benito Baca)
Girl With A Plan (Jaime P. Leos)
Anakena (Alonso Rivera)
Big Big Love (Mauro Salcedo)
Colby James (Mario Delgado)
First Flashin (Jose D. Ruiz)
Amandas Flashy (Duane Sterling)
NAMEHIMASTREAKER NEW MEXICO CUP CHAMPIONSHIP (RG1)
Purse, $30,000 — 440 yards
3-year-olds & older
Bertha S. Irigoyen’s Jess A Satin Flash drew post 4 for Monday’s Namehimastreaker New Mexico Cup Championship.
Jess A Satin Flash is coming off of a fourth-place finish, one length behind winner Danjer, in the 440-yard, $300,000 Albuquerque Fall Championship (G1) at Albuquerque Downs on September 20. The 7-year-old First Moonflash gelding has won two stakes this season, including the 400-yard, $50,000 Zia Handicap (RG2) at Ruidoso Downs on July 26.
Jess A Satin Flash will be ridden by Alejandro Medellin for trainer Rene Saucedo.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments:
Magnifico Dragon (Esgar Ramirez)
Meleros Dash (Jose D. Ruiz)
Finnley (Paul O. Garcia)
Jess A Satin Flash (Alejandro Medellin)
No Mires A La Luna (Sergio Becerra Jr.)
Freedom Flash (Alonso Rivera)
Rime Chimes (Paul Nieto)
Daddys Wine (Mauro Salcedo)
Marcus Medallion (Adrian Ramos)
CD Mamas Boy (Martin Felix)
AE-Siximoons (Jimmy Ray Coates)
AE-Cartel Drunk Playboy (Jaime P. Leos)
NEW MEXICO CUP 870 CHAMPIONSHIP (R)
Purse, $30,000 — 870 yards
3-year-olds & older
Rogers Farms’ Wascallywittlewabbit, a two-time stakes winner during the Ruidoso Downs summer meet, is one of 10 distance specialists entered in Monday’s New Mexico Cup 870 Championship.
A 5-year-old son of Heza Motor Scooter trained by Mike Joiner, Wascallywittlewabbit won all three of his starts at Ruidoso, including the July 26, $50,000 Zia 870 Championship (R), and the September 5, 870-yard Bill Reed Memorial Stakes. The bay gelding drew post 5 and will be ridden by Benito Baca.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments:
Dramatic Eclipse (Marcelo Barraza)
Rod James (Mauro Salcedo)
Moonflash Cat (Frank Reyes)
Why Buy The Cow (Enrique P. Gomez)
Wascallywittlewabbit (Benito Baca)
Al Siete D Copas (Francisco Amparan)
Regards Miracle (Esgar Ramirez)
Dan The Flashman (Adrian Ramos)
AE-Big Runaway (Sergio Dominguez)
AE-Blue Daddy Cartel (Alfredo Sigala)
Three other stakes will be contested at Zia Park on Monday, including the 350-yard, $25,000 New Mexico Cup Distaff Stakes (R) for state-bred fillies and mares. Antonio Gomez’s Diamond And A Half, a 4-year-old daughter of champion First Moonflash trained by Jorge Luis Hernandez, heads a field of a dozen entered in the Distaff Stakes. Diamond And A Half has earned $76,845 from six starts this season, and her two wins include a nose victory in the 400-yard, $50,000 Balloon City Stakes at Albuquerque Downs on August 15. The mare drew post 6 and will be ridden by Benito Baca.
Ten state-bred 3-year-olds, headed by graded stakes winner First Neon Moon, are entered in Monday’s 400-yard, $15,000 New Mexico Cup Sophomore Stakes (R). A gray son of champion First Moonflash trained by Martin Orona Sr. for owner Victor Lozano, First Neon Moon has banked $72,384 from four outs this year, and his season resume includes a nose victory at odds of 13-1 in the February 15, 400-yard New Mexico HBA Stakes (RG2) at Sunland Park. The gelding drew the rail post and will be ridden by Mauro Salcedo.
Hubaldo Solis’ Blazinberryberryfast, a stakes-winning daughter of Osbaldo trained by Ivan Tafoya, drew post 9 for Monday’s 350-yard, $15,000 New Mexico Cup Juvenile Stakes (R). Blazinberryberryfast is coming off a summer campaign during which she scored a neck victory in the 400-yard, $50,000 New Mexico State Fair Juvenile Stakes (R) at Albuquerque Downs on September 20. The homebred filly will be ridden by Jaime Parga Leos.