New Mexico-bred Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds will be in the spotlight at Ruidoso Downs this weekend, as the track presents its annual Zia Festival races.

A total of eight stakes — four for Quarter Horses, three for Thoroughbreds, and one for Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds — will be contested Saturday and Sunday. First post time each day is set for 12:30 p.m. (MDT).

Following is a preview of all Zia Festival stakes, listed in the order they will be run.

SATURDAY (SIXTH RACE)
ZIA QUARTER HORSE STAKES (RG2)
Purse, $50,000 — 400 yards
3-year-olds & older
A dozen state-bred aged Quarter Horses, led by morning-line favorite Just En King, are entered in Saturday’s Zia Stakes.

A homebred 4-year-old son of Eye Am King racing for Ronald N. Ulibarri, Just En King ended his sophomore season with a neck victory in the 440-yard, $200,000 Namehimastreaker New Mexico Classics Championship (RG1) at Zia Park on November 26, and he began his ’24 season with a half-length win in the 350-yard, $70,000 Jimmy Drake Stakes (RG3) at SunRay Park on May 3.

Just En King drew the rail post and will be ridden by Jacob Enriquez.

Other contenders include Pick Your Pour, a 4-year-old Jesse James Jr gelding trained by James Gonzales III for owners Orlando Granillo, Azucena Mendoza and Rene Mendoza. Pick Your Pour is coming off of a clear three-length victory in the 400-yard, $50,000 Jess Burner Stakes (R) at Ruidoso Downs on June 2.

Pick Your Pour drew post 9 and will be ridden by Ali Rivera.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
Just En King (Jacob Enriquez), 7-2
River Flash (Christian Ramos), 6-1
FS Power Maxx (Emilio Tapia), 30-1
Doing Something Good (Noe Garcia Jr.), 20-1
RC Corona King (Sergio Dominguez), 8-1
Jesses Dinero (James Flores), 20-1
White Lightenin (Francisco Calderon), 9-2
Cruzin For Chickz (Adrian Ramos), 12-1
Pick Your Pour (Ali Rivera), 5-1
Chi Chi Jima Raider (Omar Iturralde), 15-1
AE-Fast Flashn (Christian Cardenas), 10-1
AE-Super Stuper (Luis Martinez), 30-1

SATURDAY (SEVENTH RACE)
LAND OF ENCHANTMENT STAKES (R)
Purse, 50,000 — 7 1/2 furlongs
3-year-olds & older
V Bar V Racing’s Let Him Be brings a five-race win streak into Saturday’s Land of Enchantment Stakes (R) for New Mexico-bred Thoroughbreds.

A homebred 4-year-old son of the Afleet Alex stallion Sway Away trained by Joel Marr, Let Him Be is stretching out in distance off of his 4 1/2-length victory in a 5 1/2-furlong, $46,900 open-condition race for New Mexico-breds at Ruidoso Downs on June 8. The bay gelding’s win streak includes wins in the November 27, $150,000 New Mexico Classics Derby (R) at Zia Park, and the April 7, 100,000 New Mexico State University Handicap (R) at Sunland Park.

Let Him Be drew post 7 and will be ridden by Miguel Fuentes Jr.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
Ancient Land (Enrique P. Gomez), 15-1
I’magambler (Francisco Amparan), 8-1
Bodie Got Gold (Alejandro Medellin), 7-2
Jet Set Warrior (Luis R. Rodriguez), 6-1
Henry On The Run (Christian Ramos), 10-1
Ar Ya Weegee (Tracy Hebert), 5-2
Let Him Be (Miguel T. Fuentes Jr.), 2-1

SATURDAY (NINTH RACE)
SIERRA STARLET STAKES (R)
Purse, $50,000 — 5 furlongs
3-year-old fillies
Tommy L. Cress’ Hustling, a dark bay or brown daughter of the Pulpit stallion Abstraction trained by Thomas Pierce Jr., is the 2-1 morning-line favorite for Saturday’s Sierra Starlet Stakes.

Hustling has won her last two starts, including a 6 1/2-furlong, $27,320 non-winners-of-two allowance race for New Mexico-bred fillies and mares at SunRay Park on April 27. The filly has earned $24,233 from five outs.

Hustling drew post 7 and will be ridden by Jose M. Vazquez.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
Not To Fancy (Alfredo Juarez Jr.), 6-1
Komfort Kid (Enrique P. Gomez), 7-2
Runaway Bay (Daniel Vergara), 5-2
Trust Anabelle (Felipe Valdez), 15-1
Storm In The Valle (Alejandro Medellin), 8-1
Mark It Down (Miguel T. Fuentes Jr.), 10-1
Hustling (Jose M. Vazquez), 2-1

SATURDAY (TENTH RACE)
ZIA QUARTER HORSE DERBY (RG2)
Purse, $167,171 — 400 yards
3-year-olds
Solid, a son of Big Daddy Cartel racing for Pierre and Lesile Amestoy and the fastest qualifier, drew post 3 for Saturday’s Zia Quarter Horse Derby.

Solid will be facing stakes company for the first time off of his nose victory in the third of four Zia Derby trials on July 6. The homebred gelding has banked $44,079 from three starts.

Solid will be ridden by Adrian Ramos for trainer Wes Giles.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
Crispyn (Esgar Ramirez), 5-2
Daddysqueenofalice (Noe Garcia Jr.), 6-1
Solid (Adrian Ramos), 7-2
Black Jack Patriot (Jacob Enriquez), 20-1
Grafity (Luis Martinez), 10-1
Bad King (Francisco Calderon), 8-1
Royal Post (Emilio Tapia), 10-1
Bigg Curlie Bill (Sergio Becerra Jr.), 30-1
Chicka Boom Babe (Bryan Candanosa), 10-1
The Big Daddy (Ricky Ramirez), 30-1

SUNDAY (SEVENTH RACE)
ZIA QUARTER HORSE JUVENILE STAKES (R)
Purse, $50,000 — 400 yards
2-year-olds
Ocean Bridge heads a field of 12 New Mexico-bred 2-year-olds entered back in Sunday’s Zia Juvenile Stakes.

A $260,000 yearling purchase at last year’s New Mexico-Bred Sale, Ocean Bridge is trained by Trey Wood for owner Paragon Farms LLC. The sorrel son of Woodbridge is a full brother to multiple graded stakes winner Mister Riptide.

Ocean Bridge Drew post 8 and will be ridden by Ricky Ramirez.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
Cue Daddy (James Flores), 20-1
Corona For Jesse (Agustin Silva), 20-1
Lyme Light (Christian Cardenas), 6-1
Bigg Al (Christian Ramos), 15-1
Two Macho For You (Noe Garcia Jr.), 8-1
Bout Damn Time (Adrian Ramos), 12-1
Boot Scoots (Jose Enriquez), 9-2
Ocean Bridge (Ricky Ramirez), 7-2
W R Cactus Candy (Francisco R. Ramirez Jr.), 10-1
Ms Jessie Mason (Jacob Enriquez), 5-1
AE-Big Fantasy (Raul A. Valenzuela), 30-1
AE-JM Ferrari Lane (Ali Rivera), 30-1

SUNDAY (NINTH RACE)
ZIA QUARTER HORSE FUTURITY (RG1)
Purse, $368,451 — 400 yards
2-year-olds
Harken, a graded stakes winning son of Eye Am King and a $145,000 purchase at last year’s Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale, is one of 10 New Mexico-bred juveniles entered in Saturday’s Zia Futurity.

Harken has won his last three outs, including the 350-yard, $351,000 Mountain Top Futurity (RG2) at Ruidoso Downs on June 16. The sorrel gelding drew post 9 and will be ridden by Sergio Becerra Jr. for owner Ernesto Soto and trainer Marco Flores.

CHR Racing’s Woody Rocks has also won his last three starts, and he set the fastest qualifying time with his 2 1/2-length victory in the 12th of 13 trials on July 5. The stakes-winning son of Woodbridge was a $25,000 yearling buy at last year’s New Mexico-Bred Sale.

Woody Rocks drew post 8 and will be ridden by Christian Ramos for trainer Tony Sedillo.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
Macho Daddys Girl (Noe Garcia Jr.), 30-1
Suspicious Runner (Luis Martinez), 20-1
Alamos (James Flores), 4-1
KJ Bad Moon Rising (Adrian Ramos), 5-2
Three Finger Jack (Ricky Ramirez), 10-1
Mendel (Francisco Calderon), 10-1
Big Jessie (Ali Rivera), 30-1
Woody Rocks (Christian Ramos), 8-1
Harken (Sergio Becerra Jr.), 7-2
HS Danger Weapon (Jacob Enriquez), 6-1

SUNDAY (TENTH RACE)
LINCOLN STAKES (R)
Purse, $50,000 — 5 furlongs
Fillies & mares, 3-year-olds & older
Larry E. Young’s First Again heads a field of eight New Mexico-bred fillies and mares entered in Sunday’s Lincoln Stakes.

A homebred 4-year-old daughter of the Yes it’s True stallion Axiomatic, First Again will be making her first start since April 14, when she was a prompt even-money favorite in the 6 1/2-furlong, $75,000 Russell & Helen Foutz Distaff Stakes (R) at SunRay Park. Danny Morales trains the dark bay or brown filly.

First Again drew post 3 and will be ridden by Daniel Vergara.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
Blue Blazes Who (Alfredo Juarez Jr.), 15-1
Marquis Lights (Francisco Amparan), 6-1
First Again (Daniel Vergara), 2-1
E Bar Scout (Jose M. Vazquez), 10-1
Whisper’s Mark (Christian Ramos), 5-2
Sheza Hailstorm (Enrique P. Gomez), 9-2
Charlies Hurricane (Irwin Rosendo), 8-1
Desertrose Oftexas (Felipe Valdez), 12-1

SUNDAY (TWELFTH RACE)
ZIA 870 CHAMPIONSHIP (R)
Purse, $50,000 — 870 yards
3-year-old & older
Morning-line favorite Freedom Flash leads a group of six state-bred distance specialists entered in Sunday’s Zia 870 Championship Stakes.

A homebred 8-year-old First Moonflash gelding trained by Todd Fincher for owners Pierre and Leslie Amestoy and Roger K. Beasley, Freedom Flash will be making his first start since February 4, when he earned a wire-to-wire, four-length win in the 870-yard, $100,000 Starr Western Wear Stakes (R) at Sunland Park. The gelding has won nine of 36 races — including six of 15 at the 870-yard trip — and he has banked $603,627, of which $401,110 has been earned in 870 races.

Freedom Flash drew post 2 and will be ridden by Christian Ramos.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
Classy Moon (Ricky Ramirez), 5-2
Freedom Flash (Christian Ramos), 2-1
Heza Classy Now (Bryan Candanosa), 12-1
Hynson (Omar Iturralde), 8-1
Jess A Royal (Gerardo Vera), 15-1
Senor Cartel (Irwin Rosendo), 7-2