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Ruidoso Derby Trials Draw 96 Sophomores
Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity(G1) winner Cyber Attack will be among the Grade 1 starts heading Sunday's 400-yard Ruidoso Derby (G1) trials at Ruidoso Downs.

© Ruidoso Downs Race Track
Ruidoso Derby Trials Draw 96 Sophomores

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM–MAY 23, 2023–Ninety-six 3-year-old –  led by Grade 1 winners Rock A Jess V, Otts Boy, and Cyber Attack -- will make their next starts in Sunday's 400-yard Ruidoso Derby (G1) trials at Ruidoso Downs.

A homebred son of world champion Apollitical Jess trained by Santos Carrizales Jr. for owner Valeriano Racing Stables, Rock A Jess V ended his juvenile campaign with a three-quarter length victory in Texas' richest horse race, the November 19, $1.209-million Texas Classic Futurity (G1) at Lone Star Park. The bay gelding has won five of nine starts, including three stakes, and he has earned $675,983.

Rock A Jess V drew post 2 and will be ridden by Francisco Calderon in the seventh of 10 trials.

Otts Boy and Cyber Attack also drew into the seventh heat. Raced exclusively at Ruidoso Downs thus far, Otts Boy has won three of four starts, including last year's 350-yard, $1-million Ruidoso Futurity (G1). Toby Keeton trains the homebred son of the Corona Cartel stallion Mr Ottyes for owner Luke R. Goebel.

Otts Boy drew post 5 and will be ridden by Ramon Sanchez.

Cyber Attack was a $400,000 purchase at the 2021 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale. Trained by Chris O'Dell for owner Rosenthal Ranch, the Favorite Cartel colt has banked $1,151,917 from seven races, and he ended his 2-year-old season with a three-quarter length win in the December 11, $1,884-million Los Alamitos Two-Million Futurity (G1) at Los Alamitos Racecourse.

Cyber Attack drew post 7 and will be ridden by Eduardo Nicasio.

Other prominent sophomores entered in Sunday's trials include Chasing AJ, a gray son of Apollitical Jess trained by Heath Taylor for owners Steve Holt, Charles B. Cox, Jack W. Powers, and Roger D. Moore. Chasing AJ has earned $364,650 from seven races, and the gelding qualified to all three Grade 1 futurities at Ruidoso Downs last season.

Chasing AJ drew the rail post and will be ridden by Rodrigo Vallejo in the sixth trial.

The 10 fastest qualifiers from Sunday's trials will meet in the June 10, $850,000 Ruidoso Derby final.

All Ruidoso Downs races can be seen at Q-Racing Video.com.