Cody Cobb’s Mr Innovator (pictured), an undefeated son of Big Daddy Cartel, will make his next start in Friday’s 400-yard Zia Futurity (RG1) trials for New Mexico-bred 2-year-olds at Ruidoso Downs.
Ten trials will be run, starting at 1 p.m. (MDT). Post time for the 10th and final heat is scheduled for 4:54.
Mr Innovator has won all three of his starts and has earned $131,440. The gray gelding will be stretching out in distance off of his one-length victory in the 350-yard, $280,000 Mountain Top Futurity (RG2) at Ruidoso Downs on June 20.
Mr Innovator drew the rail post and will be ridden by Mario Delgado for trainer James J. Gonzales II in the sixth trial. The gelding’s nine opponents in the sixth heat include Bad Kompany, a homebred stakes-winning Jesse James Jr gelding owned and trained by Fred Danley. Bad Kompany broke his maiden with a neck victory in the 350-yard, $50,000 Mountain Top Juvenile Stakes (R) on June 20.
Bad Kompany drew post 10 and will be ridden by Jose Enrique Ortiz.
Other prominent state-bred juveniles entered in the Zia Futurity trials include Azara, the runner-up to Mr Innovator in the Mountain Top Futurity. An earner of $53,977 from two races, Azara is a daughter of the xxx stallion A Royal Jess trained by Manuel Rodolfo Rodriguez for owner MRB Racing LLC.
Azara drew post 3 and will be ridden by Raul Herrera in the first heat.
The 10 fastest qualifiers from Friday’s Zia Futurity trials will meet in the $375,000-est. final on August 1.