RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—JULY 2, 2009—Jim Pitts’ Love Samba kept her trainer Blane Wood’s hot streak going in Grade 1 stakes at Ruidoso Downs by racing to the fastest qualifying time from the 192 entrants in the 20 trials to the Grade 1, $625,000 Rainbow Futurity on Thursday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.

The horses with the 10-fastest times qualify for the Rainbow Futurity on July 19.

Love Samba raced the 400 yards in :19.542 for the quickest time from 192 two-year-olds entered in the trials. The Corona Cartel-sired filly won the sixth trial by three lengths filly under Ricky Ramirez.

In the Grade 1, $500,000 Ruidoso Futurity on June 7, Wood sent out runner-up Shake Em Money Pop and third-place finisher Sir Seth. Shake Em Money Pop is also owned by Pitts. Wood qualified three horses to the Grade 1, $308,000 Ruidoso Derby on June 6.

Love Samba was the 7-2 second choice in the wagering after finishing second in her Ruidoso Futurity trial, her only other career start.

“We’ve been taking our time with her because we’ve been pointing to the All American (Futurity) all along with her. She’s a really nice filly,” said Wood, winner of the 2005 Rainbow Futurity with champion Leading Spirit.

Love Samba was purchased for $160,000 at last year’s Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale.

Ruidoso Downs’ leading quarter horse trainer Paul Jones won six trials and had four qualifiers – Stepenos, Runnning Brook Gal, Brooks Midnight and Favorite Cartel.

Stepanos, by Favorite Trick (TB) hopped at the start, but quickly found his stride to win the 11th trial by a neck with the second-fastest time of :19.632. He showed marked improvement after a troubled eighth-place finish in his only other career start. Fourth-fastest qualifier Zoomin With Ease (Azoom) finished second.

Runnning Brook Gal won the ninth trial by one length in :19.659, the third-fastest qualifying mark. The Brookstone Bay filly set the fastest-qualifying time to the Ruidoso Futurity in her career debut before finishing sixth in the finals after a troubled start.

Brooks Midnight, also by Brookstone Bay, stepped forward after a third-place finish in her Ruidoso Futurity trial to win the fifth trial by three quarters of a length in :19.709 the fifth-fastest time.

Favorite Cartel, co-owned by Jones, powered away in the final trial to win by one-and-a-quarter lengths with the ninth-fastest time of :19.752. The Favorite Trick colt won a maiden race at Ruidoso Downs in his previous start, his second career start.

For a complete list of finalist, their sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys CLICK HERE.