Dee Favorite Tacha, under jockey Jesse Levario, posted the fastest time on Day 2 of the Ruidoso QH Futurity (G1) at Ruidoso Downs Saturday.

© Coady Media

By H. David Smith, StallioneSearch

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—MAY 24, 2025—A total of 15 trial races were contested on Saturday, May 24, 2025, at Ruidoso Downs during the second day of qualifying action for the $1,000,000 Ruidoso QH Futurity(G1).

From those 15 heats, five of the fastest juveniles earned spots in the prestigious 350-yard final to be run on June 18, 2025. They will join the five fastest qualifiers from 15 trials contested on Friday, May 23 (see related story).

Fastest on Day 2 was Dee Favorite Tacha, who delivered a dominant one-length victory in the third trial to post the quickest time of :17.816. The 2-year-old gelding is by first-crop sire Dulce Sin Tacha out of stakes winner Dee Favorite Girl, a daughter of Favorite Cartel.

Russ Gus, under jockey Luis Martinez, posted the second fastest time in the final trial on Saturday. © Coady Media

Bred in Oklahoma by The Mixer Ranch, he is owned by Ricardo G. Armendariz Jr. and Eric Pineda and trained by Armendariz Jr. himself. Jockey Jesse Levario was aboard for the winning ride. Dee Favorite Tacha was a $25,000 purchase at the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale. The third dam is Broodmare of the Year Run The Dash, the dam of world champion Blues Girl Too.

“Ever since day one, the horse has been showing his talent,” co-owner and trainer Armendariz Jr. said. “We feel like we have some fast contenders on our ranch, so coming over we thought we had the horse.”

The second-fastest qualifier was Russ Gus, who turned in a time of :17.836. The gelding by leading sire Apollitical Jess and out of Rocket Seis by Tres Seis is trained by Xavier E. Rodriguez and owned by Daniel G. Miranda. He was bred in New Mexico by Mark and Fay Annett McCloy and ridden by Luis Martinez.

A $160,000 Heritage Place September Yearling Sale graduate, Russ Gus' dam was third in the Grade 1 Rainbow Futurity.  The second dam is stakes winner Going To The Hague by Holland Ease.

Russ Champion jockey Ricky Ramirez gues Allegian Air to victory in the 10th trial on Saturday. © Coady Media

West Texas Juvenile winner Preying N Sinning, a colt by Dulce Sin Tacha out of Prey by Panther Mountain, was third-fastest of the day, stopping the timer in :17.929.

Trained by Alberto Amparan and ridden by Christian Cardenas, the Texas-bred runner races for 93 Ranch and was bred by Dr. Steve Hurlbert. Cardenas paid $15,000 at the Heritage Place September Sale for the half-brother to Grade 1 winner Preyn On the Mountain.

Posting the fourth-fastest time was Allegiant Air, a filly who completed her trial in :17.948. The daughter of Favorite Cartel out of Grade 2 winner Eagle On The Fly by One Famous Eagle races for Norman W. Allen and is trained by S. Trey Wood.

Preying N Sinning, under jockey Christian Cardenas, broke the bubble in the 13th trial on Saturday. © Coady Media

She was ridden by top jockey Ricky Ramirez and bred in California by Steve D. Burns DVM. Allegiant Air was a $155,000 yearling purchase at the Ruidoso Select Sale. A half-sister to three black type, Allegiant Air's dam is a half-sister to stakes winners and multiple stakes sires One Fabulous Eagle and Gold Heart Eagle V.

The final qualifying spot from Day 2 went to Lareda, a filly who ran second to Dee Favorite Tacha but secured a fast enough time of :17.971 to advance. Sired by leading third-crop sire Flying Cowboy 123 and out of Ms Kates Angel (by First Down Dash), Lareda is trained by S. Trey Wood and owned by E. Gene Bradley and Tod Bradley.

She was bred in Texas by Jerry Windham and also ridden by Ricky Ramirez. Lareda sold for $300,000 as a yearling at the Ruidoso Select Sale. Larnda is a half-sister to champion 2-year-old filly Jes An Angel and her dam is a half-sister to champion 2-yaer-old filly Kates Dynasty.

The strong showing by progeny of  first-crop Dulce Sin Tacha, who sired two of the five qualifiers, as well as the dual entries for trainer S. Trey Wood, sets the stage for an explosive renewal of the Ruidoso QH Futurity(G1) on June 18.

With a $1 million purse on the line, this year's final promises to be among the most competitive in recent memory.

CLICK HERE for a list of the ten qualifiers including times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers, and jockeys.

The second five fastest qualifiers from each day of trials are preferred invites to the $100,000 Ruidoso QH Juvenile that will also run back on Sunday, June 8. CLICK HERE for those horses.

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