King Estate, under jockey Jesse Levario, qualified with the fastest time after winning his Zia QH Futurity(RG1) trial by 5-1/2 lengths at Ruidoso Downs Racetrack & Casino on Friday. The $372,374 final will be run on Sunday, July 20.

© Coady Media

By H. David Smith, StallioneSearch

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—JULY 4, 2025—Twelve trials for the restricted Grade 1 Zia Quarter Horse Futurity were contested at Ruidoso Downs on Independence Day, producing a ten-horse field for the $372,374 final to be held on Sunday, July 20, 2025.

The 400-yard final will award the winner $156,397.

King Estate, a 2-year-old gelding by leading New Mexico sire Eye Am King out of Curlie Cue by First Down Dash, dominated his heat by 5-1/2 lengths in 19.484 seconds, a 96 speed index into a 9 mph crosswind, the fastest time of the day.

Bred in New Mexico by MJ Farms and owned by Eric Pineda, King Estate is trained by Ricardo G. Armendariz, Jr. and was ridden by Jesse Lee Levario.

The $43,000 Ruidoso New Mexico Bred Yearling Sale graduate was making his second career start after finishing second in his career debut, a trial for the Mountain Top QH Futurity(RG2) on May 30.

Second fastest on the day was Mw Bcause Im First, a filly by first-crop sire B Cause Im A Hero out of Blazen Alena by Favorite Cartel. Owned and bred by Larry K Marcum & Nancy C Wells, the filly drew off to win her heat in 19.701, a 90 speed index into a 6 mph crosswind, for trainer James J. Gonzales III with Christian Cardenas aboard.

The undefeated filly pushed her record to 3-for-3 with earnings of $16,455.

Mi Capitan, a colt by multiple stakes sire Jet Black Patriot out of Riverside Flash by First Moonflash, broke his maiden in the second trial to get the third fastest qualifying mark of 19.885 for owners Robert Driggers and Ben Ivey.

He was bred by Ivey Cattle Co. and conditioned by Wesley T. Giles with Noe Garcia, Jr. up.

Lovely Josie James, a $100,000 Ruidoso New Mexico-Bred Yearling Sale graduate, earned the fourth spot with a 19.905 clocking. The Suspicious Interest filly is out of Lovely Lily Rose by Mr Jess Perry, bred by La Feliz Montana Ranch LLC, owned by Tungsten Racing Partnership, and trained by Ramon Mendoza with Sergio Becerra, Jr. riding.

In total, the Zia Quarter Horse Futurity is open to accredited New Mexico-bred 2-year-olds. The lucrative final on July 20 will showcase these young speedsters, all aiming to add a Grade 1 title to their resumes and secure the winner’s share of $156,397

CLICK HERE for the complete list with times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys.

The second ten fastest qualifiers are preferred invites to the $100,000 Zia QH Juvenile that will also run back on Sunday, July 20. CLICK HERE for those horses.

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