Acrylic tops finalists for Zia QH Futurity
ALBUQUERQUE — Clinton Crawford trainee Acrylic (pictured) posted the fastest time during Friday’s trial heats at Albuquerque Downs for the $365,139 Zia Quarter Horse Futurity.
Owned and bred by Pierre Amestoy Jr. and Leslie A. Amestoy, Acrylic won the fifth of 11 trial heats on the day, all of them held at the distance of 400 yards. The New Mexico-bred son of Big Daddy Cartel was ridden by Jacon Enriquez and stopped the clock in a time of 19.363 seconds, beating Daddys China to the finish line by a half-length. The top two finishers from that heat earned the two fastest qualifying times for the Zia Futurity, which will be run Sunday, July 19.
Acrylic earned the second win of his career when winning his trial heat on Friday. He broke his maiden against state-bred non-winners over this course last month in his second career start after finishing last after a troubled start in his career debut at SunRay Park. His damsire First Moonflash has produced several quality stakes performers, including multiple AQHA champions Flash And Roll and Handsome Jack Flash, as well as All American Derby winner Too Flash For You.
Baby Daddy Cartel, winner of the Mountain Top Futurity over this course, last month, also earned a spot in the starting gate for the Zia Futurity. Owned by Tungsten Racing Partnership and trained by Omar Vargas, the son of Big Daddy Cartel has now won four straight races. His final time of 19.568 seconds when winning the final trial heat of the day under Noe Garcia, Jr. earned him the fifth fastest time among all starters.
Baby Daddy Cartel is a two-time stakes winner and has reached the winners circle four times in five starts. Bred in New Mexico by Paul P Cervantes, he also earned a trip to the winners circle at Sunland Park in the New Mexican Spring Fling Stakes and has earnings in excess of $189,000.
Vargas may have as many as four starters in the Zia QH Futurity. In addition to Baby Daddy Cartel and Daddys China, Vargas also had an impressive day with Miss Desirio 16, winner of Friday’s 10th trial heat under Jose Ortiz and fourth fastest qualifier with a final time of 19.508 seconds.
Friday’s first race winner Hestan, also trained by Vargas, earned his way into the Zia QH Futurity, winning his trial heat under Ortiz in a time of 19.73 to finish as the 10th fastest qualifier for the finals.
Trainer Rodolfo Valles also figures to have a pair of starters in the Zia Futurity, including Shafer, who bounced back from a poor showing in the Mountain Top Futurity with a winning effort in Friday’s trials.
A son of Big Daddy Cartel out of Jesse James Jr mare Astica, Shafer won Friday’s 7th trial heat under Christian Cardenas in a time of 19.582 seconds, good for the sixth-fastest time of the day. He was the fastest qualifier for the Mountain Top Futurity but lost all chance from the rail after an awkward start in the finals last month.
The top three finishers from the 7th trial heat all earned their way into the starting gate for the Zia Futurity. Bigg Twist, trained by Daniel Amaya, was beaten only a head by Shafer and earned the seventh fastest qualifying time of 19.598 seconds under Luis Martinez. Imma Dandy, third place finisher and runnerup to Big Daddy Cartel in the Mountain Top Futurity for owners Scott Branson and Jimmy Vasquez and trainer David Gomez-Barraza, earned the ninth-fastest qualifying time of 19.71 seconds.
Valles will also be represented in the Zia QH Futurity finals by Sand And Sea, third place finisher in the Mountain Top Futurity for owners Denis Schoenhofer, Julie Schoenhofer and Kim Middleton. The daughter of Big Daddy Cartel broke her maiden winning Friday’s second trial heat under Joseph Belloc, Jr., earning the third fastest time of the day with a clocking of 19.45 seconds.
10 fastest qualifiers for Zia QH Futurity
Acrylic – 19.363 seconds
Daddys China – 19.422 seconds
Sand And Sea – 19.450 seconds
Miss Desirio 16 – 19.508 seconds
Baby Daddy Cartel – 19.568 seconds
Shafer – 19.582 seconds
Bigg Twist – 19.598 seconds
Bogarts Brown Sugar – 19.707 seconds
Imma Dandy – 19.710 seconds
Hestan – 19.730 seconds
The second set of fastest qualifiers which failed to make the Zia QH Futurity, will be entered back in the $50,000 Zia QH Juvenile, also to be run Sunday, July 19.
· Jess Good Times – 19.774 seconds
Seacret Society – 19.794 seconds
Bedawee Cartel – 19.818 seconds
Jms Tejana – 19.821 seconds
Big Ted – 19.855 seconds
Tempered Daddy – 19.871 seconds
Sheza Fast Flash – 19.873 seconds
Big Avery – 19.879 seconds
Jbp Lovestruck – 19.884 seconds
Toppa the Moon – 19.894 seconds