GF Shes Sinful and jockey Noe Garcia Jr. dominate the fifth trial to post the fastest qualifying time for the Grade 1, $744,580 Ruidoso Derby on May 24 at the Downs of Albuquerque.

© Coady Media

By Emily Paulk, StallioneSearch

ALBUQUERQUE, NM–MAY 24, 2026– Seven trials were contested Sunday at the Downs of Albuquerque to determine the ten finalists for the Grade 1, $744,580 Ruidoso Derby, which will be contested June 6 at Ruidoso Downs.

Fastest of all the qualifiers was GF Shes Sinful, who dominated the fifth trial under Noe Garcia Jr. for owner All In Partners and trainer Wesley Giles. The filly drew off impressively to stop the timer in :18.987 for a 105 speed index, the only qualifying time under 19 seconds on the afternoon.

Bred by Kevin A. Birrell, GF Shes Sinful was a $50,000 graduate of the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale. The daughter of champion Dulce Sin Tacha is out of the stakes-winning Foose mare BF Fooserageous ($245,461), a half-sister to stakes winner BF Shes Outrageous ($120,219).

Still searching for her first stakes victory, the filly entered the trials off a runner-up effort in the Grade 1 Texas Classic Futurity last season. She now owns a record of five starts with four wins and earnings of $46,763.

Flying Chance posted the second-fastest qualifying time of the day after taking the opening trial under Joseph Belloc Jr.. Racing for owners JC and CF LLC and trainer James Gonzales III, the gelding inched away late while covering the 400 yards in :19.017 for a 104 speed index.

Bred in Texas by Tyler and Naia Graham, Flying Chance was a $285,000 TQHA Yearling Sale graduate. The son of champion Flying Cowboy 123 is out of the winning Jodys Money Pop mare Little Affection and is a half-brother to stakes winner Hawkabye Baby ($133,058). His female family traces back to two-time champion Kiss My Hocks ($1,199,385).

Coming off a third-place finish in the All American Juvenile Stakes, Flying Chance improved his record to 5-3-1-1 with earnings of $45,865.

RF Runaway Cowboy secured the third-fastest qualifying time when finishing second behind Flying Chance in the opening trial. Ridden by Edwin Escobedo for owners Caliche Walls Venture LLC, Alan Isbell, Lance Bland, and Jimmy Barton, the gelding was narrowly beaten after chasing throughout and stopping the clock in :19.139 with a 101 speed index.

Bred by Tim and Jennie Rogers of Rogers Farms and trained by Marc Jungers, RF Runaway Cowboy is an $80,000 graduate of the Heritage Place Winter Mixed Sale. The son of champion Flying Cowboy 123 is out of the Sir Runaway Dash mare RF Runaway Duck, a half-sister to graded stakes winner San Lorenzo Jet ($888,210).

The gelding entered the trials off a runner-up effort in last year’s Grade 1 Texas Classic Futurity and now owns a record of 8-2-4-1 with earnings of $232,727.

Full list of Ruidoso Derby-G1 qualifiers can be found HERE.

RUIDOSO QH INVITATIONAL QUALIFIERS
Lethal Lobo heads the list of preferred invites to the Ruidoso QH Invitational after posting the fastest time from the second 10 qualifiers out of the Ruidoso Derby trials. A gelded son of Favorite Cartel owned by Ricardo Ramirez, Lethal Lobo stopped the clock in :19.301 for 400 yards with Noe Garcia Jr. aboard for trainer Wesley T. Giles.

Lethal Lobo placed third in last year’s All American Futurity-G1, and has compiled a record of 1-1-3 from seven starts with earnings of $269,030. The $200,000 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale graduate was bred in Texas by P K Thomas from the Dean Miracle mare Lethal Delight.

CLICK HERE to view the complete results for the Ruidoso QH Invitational Qualifiers.

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