Flying Sophia, piloted by Francisco Calderon, goes wire-to-wire for the win in the $295,642 La Fiesta Futurity at the Downs at Albuquerque on Sunday.

© Coady Photography

ALBUQUERQUE, NM—OCTOBER 22, 2023—Fastest qualifier Flying Sophia returned to today to win the $295,642 La Fiesta Futurity at The Downs at Albuquerque by one-length.

Under champion jockey Francisco Calderon, Flying Sophie led gate-to-wire while clocking :19.132 seconds for 400 yards, a 105 speed index into a 5 mph crosswind.

Longtime trainer Michael Joiner saddled the New Mexico homebred daughter of leading first-crop sire Flying Cowboy 123 to her fourth win in six starts for owner-breeders Calder Ezzell and Candy Ezzell.

Bred from the Big Daddy Cartel mare Sister Sophia, Flying Sophia picked up $147,821 today to boost her earning mark to $185,522. She was also third in the John Deere Ruidoso Juvenile Stakes(G3) last summer.

Grade 1-placed Wired 440 increased his bank account to $328,228 after picking up $59,128 for finishing second in the La Fiesta Futurity. Racing for owner Alberto Villanueva, Jr., the son of multiple stakes sire Tempting Dash was second in the Ruidoso Futurity(G1) and fourth in Rainbow Futurity(G1) last summer.

Flying Sophia owner-breeders Calder and Candy Ezzell with the La Fiesta Futurity stakes trophy and blanket at the Downs at Albuquerque on Sunday. © Coady Photography

Eric Valenzuela trains the $135,000 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale graduate is a half-brother to Rainbow Oaks winner Miss Beth Dutton. Paragon Farms LLC bred the gelding in Texas from the Apollitical Jess mare Time For Jess. Sergio Becerra, Jr. had the riding call.

Irish Seis and Twin Forks dead-heated for third, earning $26,608 each.

Valenzuela also sent out Twin Forks, a California-bred son of Separate Interest, for owner Empire Racing and Pavon Racing LLC. Angel Flores-Garcia rode the gray gelding out of Miss Kitty Bar Bet by Sum Fun To Bet. Bred by Steve D. Burns, Twin Forks has earned $47,043.

The winning connections of Flying Shopia in the La Fiesta Futurity winner's circle at Albuquerque Downs.
© Coady Photography

Jesus Rondan, Jr. trains Irish Seis for owner CHR Racing. Luis Martinez rode the Tres Seis gelding out of Irish Lassie by Walk Thru Fire. Bollenbach Farms, LP bred the bay in Oklahoma.  Third in the last summer's Ruidoso Futurity(G1), he has earned $171,298 in eight starts.

Heza Fast Pilot, A Political Cluster, Tempting Barbie, No Fire Required, Reason To Remember and Running To The Moon completed the field.

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