RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—SEPTEMBER 6, 2010—Mr Piloto, a 22-1 longshot, ran down the outside of the track to narrowly defeat favored JLS Mr Bigtime and Dominyun in the Grade 1, $2,050,000 All American Futurity presented by Sentient Jet on Monday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs before 21,402 fans.

It was the second-closest finish in the 52 runnings of quarter horse racing's showcase event. The top three horses were separated by two noses and the only closer finish came in 1972 when the top four finishers were each a nose apart in the race won by Possumjet.

Mr Piloto raced the 440 yards in :21.553 to earn the $1-million first-place check, the richest in quarter horse racing.

JLS Mr Bigtime was timed in :21.556 and Dominyun was clocked in :21.558.

"He broke really good," said winning jockey Esgar Ramirez, who scored his first All American Futurity win. "I was in front all the way and I started getting excited because I didn't see anybody besides me. I just kept riding all the way to the wire."

Runner-up JLS Mr Bigtime, the fastest qualifier, had a rough trip from the inside post position. JLS Mr Bigtime broke inward and then was bothered when Prospect To The Top, in the fourth post position, bore in. Prospect To The Top eliminated 2-1 second-choice Miss Racy Jess and the incident pushed JD Baccarat, in the two hole, close to JLS Mr Bigtime. Prospect To The Top was disqualified from seventh to ninth because of the interference.

"He kinda threw his head up just as the gates opened and it probably cost him three-quarters of a length," said JLS Mr Bigtime's jockey Jacky Martin. "After I got by the horse next to me, there were four or five horses in front of me and I thought I won the race down here (at the end). I thought I caught him. I guess I was just a jump or two short."

JLS Mr Bigtime came within a nose of giving Martin a record-extending eighth All American Futurity win. The hall of fame rider came back from a four-year hiatus from race riding this summer to be the leading quarter horse jockey at Ruidoso Downs and score grade 1 wins in the Rainbow Futurity and All American Derby.

Bobby Cox's third-place finisher Dominyun, in the seventh post position, had a clear trip and was on or near the lead for the entire 440 yards..

"I thought it was over when the gates opened, but we gotta go 440 yards," said jockey Russel Hadley. "At 440 yards, anything can happen. I didn't see any other horse until the wire. I thought I had it won about 50 yards from the wire, but those horses came running by me."

Mr Piloto is trained by 27-year-old Felipe Quintero and he became the second-youngest winning trainer in All American history. "I can't explain it," said Quintero. "It's the best feeling in the world. I just have to thank Esgar Ramirez, who did a wonderful job. He got the horse out of the gate the way he should. He did a marvelous job. It's a team effort."

Owned by Tremor Enterprises LLC, Mr Piloto was overlooked in the wagering after winning his maiden in the trials and barely making the All American Futurity field with the 10th-fastest qualifying time of :21.477.

One of four Mr Jess Perry-sired offspring in the All American Futurity, Mr Piloto finished off the board in his first two starts. The colt was a troubled ninth in his Ruidoso Futurity trial and then was fourth in his Rainbow Futurity trial.

A homebred owned by JLS Speedhorse Ranch, JLS Mr Bigtime was the mostly accomplished horse coming into the wide-open All American Futurity. The Bigtime Favorite gelding was second in the Lee Berwick Futurity at Delta Downs and then set the fastest-qualifying time to the All American Futurity in his Ruidoso Downs debut. He drew off to win his All American Futurity trial by one-and-one-half lengths with a :21.220 time.

"He just needs to learn that he's gotta break," said trainer Darrel Soileau. "I'm disappointed because I was hoping he'd leave today. He was just a little tardy."

Bobby Cox's homebred Dominyun was slightly overlooked at 7-1 odds despite two impressive wins in his two previous starts, each at Ruidoso Downs. He set the fastest-qualifying time to the John Deere Juvenile Challenge, but then his connections decided to pass on the finals and point to the All American Futurity. That strategy paid off with a 1-length trial win with the third-fastest qualifying time of :21.408 for trainer John Buchanan.

"I think my horse ran a really good race," said Buchanan. "I think there were nine really good horses in there and we were lucky to get third."

The official order of finish was Mr Piloto, JLS Mr Bigtime, Dominyun, Make Me Fly, DM Streakn Thru Fire, Cuz Iba Okey, Miss Racy Jess, JD Baccarat and Prospect To The Top. Episode of Fire was scratched.

CLICK HERE for complete video coverage of the All American Futurity with Tom Dawson.