A total of 10 New Mexico-bred stakes — five for Thoroughbreds and five for Quarter Horses — will be contested at Ruidoso Downs this weekend.
Stakes purses totaling $900,000 will be paid to horsemen during this year’s Zia Festival. Following is a preview of this year’s Zia Festival stakes, listed in the order they will be run.
SATURDAY’S STAKES
Sierra Starlet Stakes (R)
Purse, $50,000 — 5 1/2 furlongs
3-year-old fillies
Better Believe, a homebred daughter of Marking racing for Lee Lewis and Brad King, will make her season debut in Saturday’s Sierra Starlet Stakes.I
Better Believe will be making her first start since September 25, when the filly scored a wire-to-wire, 1 3/4-length victory in the 6-furlong, $330,000 New Mexico State Fair Futurity (R) at Albuquerque Downs. The filly has won both of her races at Ruidoso Downs, including last year’s 5 1/2-furlong, $129,000 Rio Grande Senorita Futurity (R).
Better Believe drew post 4 and will be ridden by Felipe Valdez for trainer Todd Fincher.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
Tiz A Journey (Miguel T. Fuentes Jr.), 9-2
Sheza Hailstorm (Enrique Gomez), 5-1
Mama Was A Rocket (Tracy Hebert), 7-2
Better Believe (Felipe Valdez), 9-5
Holottalute (Christian Ramos), 8-1
First Again (Rodolfo Guerra), 6-1
Shame On Charlotte (Alejandro Medellin), 10-1
Zia Stakes (RG2)
Purse, $50,000 — 400 yards
3-year-olds and older
Big Crush BB, a multiple stakes winner this season, heads a field of 12 state-bred Quarter Horses entered in Saturday’s Zia Stakes.
Trained by Jose DeHerrera for owner Javier M. Chavez, Big Crush BB is coming off of a 1 1/4-length victory in the June 4, 400-yard Jess Burner Stakes (R) at Ruidoso Downs. Earlier this season, the 4-year-old Big Daddy Cartel stallion scored a three-quarter length win in a division of the April 28, $100,000 Jimmy Drake Stakes (RG3) at SunRay Park.
Big Crush BB drew post 2 and will be ridden by Emilio Tapia.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
Mr Perry Moon (Noe Garcia Jr.), 15-1
Big Crush BB (Emilio Tapia), 9-2
Effortless Candy Cat (Ricky Ramirez), 7-2
Fly On Down (Alfredo Sigala), 8-1
HS Paul Walker (Hector Aldrete), 30-1
Hunky McGoo (Christian Ramos), 12-1
Forrest Effort (Francisco Calderon), 2-1
Jesses Dinero (Rodrigo Vallejo), 20-1
Blue Riband (Joel Leyva), 15-1
Diezs Daylight (Adrian Ramos), 6-1
AE-Don Chuy C (Adrian Ramos), 10-1
AE-Nolans Dragon (Kody Kellenberger), 15-1
Sierra Blanca Stakes (R)
Purse, $50,000 — 5 1/2 furlongs
3-year-olds and older
Orlando Munoz’s Bye Bye Matty P is the morning-line favorite for Saturday’s Sierra Blanca Stakes (R).
A $15,000 claim at Sunland Park on February 14, Bye Bye Matty P has since won two of his three races, including the 6 1/2-furlong, $100,000 Jack Cole Stakes (R) at SunRay Park on April 22. Andres Gonzalez trains the 4-year-old Attila’s Storm gelding.
Bye Bye Matty P drew post 6 and will be ridden by Christian Ramos.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
Hollywood Henry (Enrique Gomez), 5-1
Diabolical Storm (Felipe Valdez), 7-2
Noname Bandit (Alejandro Medellin), 6-1
New Cut Road (Francisco Amparan), 10-1
Risky Revenge (Gabriel Arredondo), 9-2
Bye Bye Matty P (Christian Ramos), 9-5
No Pasa Nada (Tracy Hebert), 8-1
Zia Derby (RG2)
Purse, $175,000 — 400 yards
3-year-olds
Fastest qualifier Cruzin For Chickz drew post 5 for Saturday’s Zia Derby (RG2).
A homebred Jess A Chicks gelding trained by Wes Giles for owners Curtis Crenwelge, Jim Laird, and Jose Espinosa, Cruzin For Chickz boasts a four-race win streak that includes a victory in the 350-yard, $205,000 Mountain Top Derby (R) on June 17. Cruzin For Chicz will be ridden by Alan Hernandez.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
White Knight (Rodrigo Vallejo), 10-1
Doing Something Good (Noe Garcia Jr.), 8-1
Pick Your Pour (Ricky Ramirez), 5-2
Dash Flash (Luis Martinez), 30-1
Cruzin For Chickz (Alan Hernandez), 9-2
Major Game (Sergio Becerra Jr.), 5-1
Codex (Adrian Ramos), 7-2
Jenavi (Francisco Calderon), 15-1
Devons Cartel (Christian Ramos), 20-1
Talbott (Tanner Thedford), 15-1
Land of Enchantment Stakes (R)
Purse, $50,000 — 7 1/2 furlongs
3-year-olds and older
Charles Dunleavy III’s I Think I’m Here, a stakes winner during the Sunland Park winter meet, will make his first career start at Ruidoso Downs in Saturday’s Land of Enchantment Stakes (R).
I Think I’m Here will be making his first start since March 26, when the 4-year-old son of Marking rallied to score a 1 3/4-length victory in the 1-mile & 70-yard, $120,000 New Mexico State University Handicap (R). Lillian Silva trains the chestnut gelding.I
I Think I’m Here drew post 4 and will be ridden by Felipe Valdez.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
The Last Feat (Ricardo Jaime), 10-1
Spinning Black (Jose Miguel Vazquez), 4-1
Masterclass (Christian Ramos), 5-1
I Think I’m Here (Felipe Valdez), 8-5
Jet Set Warrior (Miguel Fuentes Jr.), 10-1
Jet N G (Tracy Hebert), 7-2
Ancient Land (Kelsi Purcell), 8-1
SUNDAY’S STAKES
Zia 870 Championship (R)
Purse, $50,000 — 870 yards
3-year-olds and older
Freedom Flash, a homebred son of 2009 AQHA champion aged stallion First Moonflash, will make the second start of his 7-year-old season in Sunday’s Zia 870 Championship (R).
Trained by Todd Fincher for owners Leslie Amestoy, Pierre J. Amestoy Jr., and Roger K. Beasley, Freedom Flash is coming off of a one-length victory in the 870-yard, $100,000 Starr Western Wear Stakes (R) at Sunland Park on February 4. The gelding’s four wins in eight starts at the 870 distance include a 1 1/2-length victory in last year’s $125,000 New Mexico Cup 870 Championship (RG3) at Zia Park.
Freedom Flash drew the rail post and will be ridden by Alfredo Sigala.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
Freedom Flash (Alfredo Sigala), 5-2
J R Bordeaux (Hector Aldrete), 8-1
Sonny Surfer (Jose Enrique Ortiz), 10-1
Dan The Flashman (Christian Ramos), 7-2
Cartel Drunk Playboy (Francisco Amparan), 6-1
Regal Isabella (Damian Corral), 5-1
El Tres Menudos (Alejandro Medellin), 9-2
Miss Tizy (Noe Garcia Jr.), 12-1
AE-Why Buy The Cow (Tracy Hebert), 15-1
AE-Big Moon Dawg (Alejandro Medellin), 15-1
Road Runner Stakes (R)
Purse, $50,000 — 5 1/2 furlongs
3-year-olds
Bob Matney’s Marked Money will put his three-race win streak on the line in Sunday’s Road Runner Stakes (R).
A bay son of Marking trained by Todd Fincher, Marked Money has won both of his starts at Ruidoso Downs this season, including a 5 1/2-furlong, $39,000 non-winners-of-three allowance race for New Mexico-breds on June 23. The gelding drew post 3 and will be ridden by Miguel Fuentes Jr.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
Valentino Who (Jose Miguel Vazquez), 6-1
Leave Them Behind (Rodolfo Guerra), 8-1
Marked Money (Miguel Fuentes Jr.), 9-2
Smartsrealgood (Francisco Amparan), 20-1
Sambas Mark (Tracy Hebert), 12-1
Moniker (Enrique Gomez), 15-1
Thruthestorm (Luis Fuentes), 3-1
Nostrangrtotherain (Kelsi Purcell), 10-1
New Mexico Jeremy (Alejandro Medellin), 2-1
Zia Juvenile Stakes (R)
Purse, $50,000 — 400 yards
2-year-olds
Imperial Rein, a daughter of Eye Am King and the morning-line favorite, drew post 2 for Sunday’s Zia Juvenile Stakes (R).
Trained by Trey Wood for owner David R. Rogers, Imperial Rein was a $32,000 yearling purchase at last year’s New Mexico-Bred Sale. The filly has won three of five races and has earned $29,553, and her season record includes a second-place finish, a half of a length behind winner Grafity, in the June 18, $50,000 Mountain Top Juvenile Stakes (R).
Imperial Rein will be ridden by Ricky Ramirez.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
Kelly Isa Chick (Emilio Tapia), 6-1
Imperial Rein (Ricky Ramirez), 2-1
Paint Me Queen (Jorge Nieto-Saenz), 20-1
Who U Daddy (Alan Hernandez), 30-1
The Big Daddy (Francisco Calderon), 15-1
Bella De Ball (Adrian Ramos), 15-1
Sweetest Emotion (Sergio Becerra Jr.), 12-1
Drest For Success (Bryan Candanosa), 7-2
Pick Of The Vine (Rodrigo Vallejo), 8-1
JM Special Ryon (Hector Aldrete), 9-2
AE-Patriotic View (Francisco Calderon), 20-1
AE-Marisma (Justine Klaiber), 20-1
Lincoln Stakes (R)
Purse, $50,000 — 5 1/2 furlongs
Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and older
A field of eight distaffers, led by morning-line favorite Corrina Corrina, is entered in Sunday’s Lincoln Stakes (R).
A homebred 4-year-old Mr. Trieste filly racing for Derrick W. Jenkins and a three-time stakes winner, Corrina Corrina will be making her first lifetime start at Ruidoso Downs. The filly has banked $100,000 from three outs this year, and her season record includes a half-length victory as the 3-10 favorite in the March 5, 1-mile Peppers Pride Handicap (R) at Sunland Park.
Corrina Corrina drew post 4 and will be ridden by Tracy Hebert for trainer Gary Cross.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
Delia (Miguel Fuentes Jr.), 4-1
Lemon Drop Gold (Luis Fuentes), 12-1
Desert Spirit (Rodolfo Guerra), 6-1
Corrina Corrina (Tracy Hebert), 2-1
Tight Fittin Jeans (Alejandro Medellin), 8-1
Bossy Baby (Enrique Gomez), 10-1
Comic Hot Toddy (Felipe Valdez), 15-1
Flaxy Lady (Christian Ramos), 5-2
Zia Futurity (RG1)
Purse, $386,720 — 400 yards
2-year-olds
Fastest qualifier Call Me Jessiecartel drew the rail post for the richest race of the Zia Festival weekend, the 400-yard, $386,720 Zia Futurity (RG1).
A sorrel son of Jess A Chicks trained by Eric Valenzuela for owners Empire Racing and Pavon Racing LLC, Call Me Jessiecartel is coming off of a half-length win in the last of 12 trials on July 7. The gelding has won two of five races and has banked $77,295, and his season record includes a second-place finish, one length behind Daddysqueenofalice, in the 350-yard, $341,000 Mountain Top Futurity (RG2) on June 18.
Call Me Jessiecartel was a $23,000 yearling purchase at last year’s New Mexico-Bred Sale. Esgar Ramirez will ride the gelding.
Other contenders include Crispyn, a homebred son of A Royal Jess racing for MRB Racing LLC from the barn of trainer Manuel Rodolfo Rodriguez. Crispyn has earned $185,461 from four starts, and the gelding’s three wins include a neck victory in the 300-yard, $366,000 New Mexican Spring Futurity (RG2) at Sunland Park in April.
Crispyn drew post 10 and will be ridden by Alan Hernandez.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
Call Me Jessiecartel (Esgar Ramirez), 2-1
Bloodredandgoingdown (Ricky Ramirez), 30-1
Loose And Lethal (Bryan Candanosa), 8-1
Whiskey Whiskey (Emilio Tapia), 20-1
JM Johnny B Good (Hector Aldrete), 7-2
Black Jack Patriot (Noe Garcia Jr.), 12-1
Bigg Curlie Bill (Christian Cardenas), 15-1
Young Emperor (Sergio Becerra Jr.), 6-1
Dads Racy Te (Francisco Calderon), 15-1
Crispyn (Alan Hernandez), 9-2