Zia Quarter Horse Futurity trials on tap Friday at Albuquerque Downs
ALBUQUERQUE — A total of 103 horses are scheduled to take part Friday afternoon in trials for the $375,000 Zia Quarter Horse Futurity at Albuquerque Downs.
The trial heats will each be run at a distance of 400 yards, with the 10 fastest qualifiers from the 11 races advancing to the finals, to be held here Sunday, July 19. Post time for the trial program is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
The trials will be headlined by Tungsten Racing Partnership’s Baby Daddy Cartel (pictured), winner of the Mountain Top Futurity over this course on June 14.
Trained by Omar Vargas and bred in New Mexico by Paul Cervantes, the son of Big Daddy Cartel has been established as the 9-to-5 morning line favorite in the 11th and final trial heat of the day.
A three-time winner from four starts with earnings approaching $184,000, Baby Daddy Cartel is a two-time stakes winner, having also captured the New Mexican Spring Fling Stakes at Sunland Park last April. He will be ridden by Noe Garcia, Jr. in the trial heat and will break from post six in the contest.
Vargas, who is scheduled to have a starter in each of the 11 trial races on Friday, will also be represented by Big Ted, a two-time stakes placed runner also owned by Tungsten Racing Partnership.
The son of Tf Im That Guy, second place finisher in the New Mexico Breeders’ Futurity on May 16 at SunRay Park and Casino, finished third in the New Mexican Spring Futurity at Sunland Park in just his second career start. He is a winner in each of his trial heats and has earned more than $97,000.
Bred in New Mexico by Jaime Cervantes, Big Ted will break from post three and has been installed as the 9-to-5 morning line favorite under Sergio Becerra, Jr. in the eighth trial heat of the day.
Perhaps the most intriguing trial of the day will go as race seven, where Shafer will look to make amends for a poor effort in the Mountain Top Futurity last time out.
Trained by Rodolfo Valles for owners Triple R Racing Stables LLC, Tye Baca, Tungsten Racing Partnership and Ted Rushing, Shafer was the fastest qualifier for the Mountain Top when trials were held here on May 29. The son of Big Daddy Cartel didn’t get away from the gate well when breaking from the rail in the finals as the post time favorite.
Purchased for $350,000 at last year’s Ruidoso New Mexico Bred Yearling Sale, Shafer is listed at 6-to-1 on the morning line and will be ridden by Christian Cardenas.
The 3-to-1 morning line favorite in the seventh trial heat is Imma Dandy, second place finisher in the Mountain Top Futurity for trainer David M. Gomez-Barraza.
Owned by Scott Branson and Jimmy Vasquez, Imma Dandy was bred in New Mexico by Jimmy & Angela Vasquez and has earned more than $78,000 winning twice from four career starts. He will be ridden by Oscar Andrade, Jr. and will break from post eight in the nine-horse contest.
Breaking just to his outside in the seventh trial is Daniel Amaya trainee Bigg Twist, with more than $53,000 in his bankroll for owners La Feliz Montana Ranch LLC & Rancho El 48 LLC. The son of Big Daddy Cartel, bred by MJ Farms, finished fifth in the Mountain Top Futurity and is the 7-to-2 second choice on the morning line under jockey Luis Martinez.
Amaya will also be represented in the sixth trial heat by 3-to-1 morning line favorite Bogarts Brown Sugar. The son of Bogart, bred in New Mexico and owned by La Feliz Montana Ranch LLC, Bogarts Brown Sugar finished second in the New Mexican Spring Futurity and has amassed more than $77,000 in career earnings.