Solid (pictured), a son of Big Daddy Cartel racing for Pierre and Leslie Amestoy of Albuquerque, is the fastest qualifier to the July 20, $167,171 Zia Derby (RG2) for New Mexico-bred 3-year-old Quarter Horses at Ruidoso Downs.

On July 6, Solid won the third of four trials by a nose from second-fastest qualifier Bad King while covering 400 yards in :19.782. Adrian Ramos rode the homebred gelding for trainer Wes Giles.

Solid was making his first start since January 13, when he ran second in a 400-yard Shue Fly Stakes (RG2) trial at Sunland Park. The gelding is out of Paint Your Moon, a winning daughter of 2009 AQHA champion aged stallion First Moonflash purchased by the Amestoys for $19,000 at the ‘17 Heritage Place Winter Mixed Sale in Oklahoma City.

Solid traces back to his fourth dam, 1996 world champion Dashing Folly. The gelding has won two of his three races and has earned $44,079.

Bad King stopped the timer in :19.787 while scoring his second win in seven outs. James Gonzales III trained and Francisco Calderon rode the Eye Am King gelding for owners Nove Racing, Triple R Racing Stables, Antoinette Gonzales and Patricio Venzor.

Bad King was bred by Mac and Janis Murray’s MJ Farms at Veguita, New Mexico. A $65,000 yearling purchase at the ‘22 New Mexico-Bred Sale at Ruidoso Downs, the gelding is out of Start Somethin Bad, a 10-year-old daughter of the Corona Cartel stallion Pappasito who won the 2017 La Primera Del Ano Derby (G3) at Los Alamitos.

Bad King is a full brother to 2003 Zia Derby winner Doing Something Good, and he is a half brother to stakes winners Wood Be Bad and Doin Something Right. The gelding has earned $253,734, and his record includes a second-place finish, a head behind winner Bella De Ball, in last year’s 400-yard, $1.209-million New Mexico State Fair Futurity (RG2) at Albuquerque Downs.

Third-fastest qualifier Chicka Boom Babe won the second heat by a neck in :19.842. Wes Giles trained and Adrian Ramos rode the daughter of Chicks Regard for owners Robert M. Driggers and Ben Lee Ivey.

Chicka Boom Babe was bred by Ivey Cattle Co. The filly has won five of 13 starts — including last year’s 350-yard, $299,000 New Mexico Classics Futurity RG2) at Zia Park — and she has banked $203,276.

Following is a complete list of Zia Derby finalists:

SOLID
G, Big Daddy Cartel-Paint Your Moon by First Moonflash
Owners and Breeders: Pierre and Leslie Amestoy
Trainer: Wes Giles
:19.782

BAD KING
G, Eye Am King-Start Somethin Bad by Pappasito
Owners: Nove Racing, Triple R Racing Stables, Antoinette Gonzalez and Patricio Venzor
Breeder: MJ Farms
Trainer: James Gonzales III
:19.787

CHICKA BOOM BABE
F, Chicks Regard-Riverside Babe by First Moonflash
Owners: Robert M. Driggers and Ben Lee Ivey
Breeder: Ivey Cattle Co.
Trainer: Wes Giles
:19.842

DADDYSQUEENOFALICE
F, Big Daddy Cartel-Alice K White by First Down Dash
Owners: Triple R Racing Stables and Kim Middleton
Breeder: MJ Farms
Trainer: James Gonzales III
:19.868

ROYAL POST
F, Eye Am King-Bigg Alice by Big Daddy Cartel
Owner: Richard E. Ford
Breeder: MJ Farms
Trainer: Jimmie Collier
:19.872

BLACK JACK PATRIOT
G, Jet Black Patriot-Lasting Episode by First Down Dash
Owner: Triple Enterprises Inc.
Breeder: Juan Vizcaino
Trainer: Ricardo Armendariz Jr.
:19.881

CRISPYN
G, A Royal Jess-First Place Cartel by Corona Cartel
Owner and Breeder: MRB Racing LLC
Trainer: Manuel Rodolfo Rodriguez
:19.900

GRAFITY
G, A Royal Jess-Paint On Canvas by PYC Paint Your Wagon
Owner and Breeder: MRB Racing LLC
Trainer: Manuel Rodolfo Rodriguez
:19.905

THE BIG DADDY
G, Big Daddy Cartel-Jessa Diva by Jesse James Jr.
Owner: Bill T. Robbins
Breeder: L Hendrix Horses LLC
Trainer: Trey Wood
:19.930

BIGG CURLIE BILL
G, Big Daddy Cartel-Curlie Cue by First Down Dash
Owner: Roybal Racing LLC
Breeder: MJ Farms
Trainer: James Gonzales III
:19.940