Multiple stakes winner Storm Leader (pictured) and stakes winner Better Believe are two of the 30 state-bred 2-year-old Thoroughbreds entered in Saturday’s New Mexico State Fair Thoroughbred Futurity (R) trials at Albuquerque Downs.

Three 6-furlong heats are scheduled. The top four finishers from every trial will qualify to the September 25, $160,000-added final.

Storm Leader is coming off of a Ruidoso Downs summer campaign during which the Attila’s Storm gelding earned $149,476 from four races and won the 5-furlong, $152,000 Mountain Top Thoroughbred Futurity (R) and 5 1/2-furlong, $138,000 Rio Grande Senor Futurity (R). Todd Fincher trains the homebred gelding for owners Mike Abraham, Leslie Amestoy, and Pierre J. Amestoy Jr.

Storm Leader drew post 8 and will be ridden by Alfredo Juarez Jr. in the second trial.

Better Believe is a homebred Marking filly trained by Todd Fincher for owners R. Lee Lewis and Brad E. King. Better Believe will be stretching out in distance off of her 2 1/4-length victory as the 1-2 favorite in the 5 1/2-furlong, $129,000 Rio Grande Senorita Futurity (R) for state-bred fillies on August 14.

Better Believe drew post 4 and will be ridden by Alfredo Juarez Jr. in the first heat.

Other prominent 2-year-olds entered in Saturday’s trials include Nostrangrtotherain, a stakes-winning son of Shame On Charlie trained by Cliff Lambert Sr. for owners Jimmy Powers and Rebecca Powers. Nostrangrtotherain has earned $85,985 from six races, and the gelding’s two wins include a two-length victory in the 4 1/2-furlong, $100,000 C.O. “Ken” Kendrick Memorial Stakes (R) at SunRay Park in May.

Nostrangrtotherain drew post 7 and will be ridden by Alejandro Medellin in the third trial.