Zia Futurity trials set for Friday at Ruidoso Downs
RUIDOSO — A total of 114 horses are scheduled to arrive at the starting gate Friday at Ruidoso Downs to compete in 12 trial races which will determine the field for the (Grade 1, Restricted) $375,000 est. Zia Quarter Horse Futurity.
The 10 fastest qualifiers in the 12 trial heats, which will be contested at a distance of 400 yards will be automatically entered back in the Zia Quarter Horse Futurity finals, which will be held Sunday, July 20.
Trey Wood-trained King of the Tide, runner-up in the Mountain Top Futurity last month behind Luxurie in his most recent start, has been installed as the 5-to-2 morning line favorite in the ninth trial dash under jockey Ricky Ramirez.
Owned by E. Gene Bradley, Tod Bradley and Garland Ware Brown, King of the Tide was a 2024 Ruidoso NM Bred QH Yearling Sale purchase of $130,000 from Mj Farms. The son of Eye Am King has never finished worse than third in three career starts and has earned nearly $80,000.
King of the Tide is out of the mare Ms Riptide, a four-time winner from 20 career starts including the 2011 Sam Houston Distaff Challenge.
King of the Tide’s damsire, Ocean Runaway, earned more than $1.6 million on the racetrack including Grade 1 victories in the Los Alamitos Million Futurity, the Golden State Million Futurity and the Champion of Champions.
Holliday, fourth-place finisher in the Mountain Top Futurity and trained by Jesus Soto for owners Alepony, LLC, will be looking for his third win from five career starts when he enters the starting gate in Friday’s seventh trial heat under jockey Noe Garcia, Jr.
A son of Big Daddy Cartel out of the Bigtime Favorite mare Ms Jingles, Holliday won his trial heats for both the Mountain Top Futurity and New Mexican Spring Futurity at Sunland Park. The $61,000 purchase from Mj Farms at the 2024 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale finished third in the NM Spring Futurity before his fourth place effort in the Mountain Top Futurity.
Trainer James J Gonzales III, currently the leading trainer at the Ruidoso meet, will saddle as many as 17 runners in Friday’s trials, including the unbeaten MW Bcause Im First in the first race of the day.
A perfect 2-for-2 in her career, the daughter of B Cause Im a Hero broke her maiden last April at Los Alamitos before winning a trial for the Mountain Top Futurity in her most recent start. Owned and bred by Larry Marcum and Nancy Wells, MW Bcause Im First is out of the Favorite Cartel mare Blazen Alena.
Trainer Eric Valenzuela, just one win behind Gonzales in the standings, will send out as many six runners in Friday’s trials, including Dyna Mo Chimes, winner of the Mountain Top Juvenile Stakes last time out.
The daughter of Rime Chimes will be in search of her third straight win when she runs in Friday’s third race under jockey Luis Flores Garcia.
Post time for Friday’s program is set for 1 p.m.