Community Leader (pictured), an undefeated homebred son of the Artax stallion Diabolical racing for J. Kirk and Judy Robison of El Paso, Texas, drew post 8 for Sunday’s 6-furlong, $294,533 New Mexico State Fair Thoroughbred Futurity (R) for state-bred 2-year-olds.
Community Leader has earned $138,200 from five starts, and his five wins include a head victory in the 5-furlong, $133,000 Mountain Top Thoroughbred Futurity (R) on June 25, and a 3 1/4-length win in the 5 1/2-furlong, $118,000 Rio Grande Senor Thoroughbred Futurity (R) on August 6, both at Ruidoso Downs. The chestnut gelding is the first starter foaled by Midnight Summer, a winning Kentucky-bred Midnight Lute mare purchased by the Robisons for $32,000 at the 2015 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Felipe Valdez will ride Community Leader for trainer Todd Fincher.
Mark It Down, a stakes-winning daughter of the Bernardini stallion Marking owned by Mike H. Carson and Bill Carson, drew post 4 and will be ridden by Oscar Ceballos for trainer Dallas Barton. The homebred bay filly has banked $72,576 from four races, and her two wins include a wire-to-wire, 1 3/4-length victory in the 5 1/2-furlong, $113,000 Rio Grande Senorita Thoroughbred Futurity (R) on August 6.
The compete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
El Huarache Prieto (Jorge Carreno), 30-1
Rail Runner (Enrique Garcia), 20-1
Way To Rule (Daniel Vergara), 8-1
Mark It Down (Oscar Ceballos), 8-1
Fauzeta’s Flame (Santiago Gonzalez), 20-1
Payingoffmymarker (Alfredo Juarez Jr.), 7-2
Street Mark (Jose Miguel Vazquez), 12-1
Community Leader (Felipe Valdez), 5-2
Milk It (Francisco Amparan), 6-1
Make Up A Story (Rodolfo Guerra), 6-1
Walk On Whiskey (Luis A. Valenzuela), 15-1