Indefensible and jockey Sergio Becerra Jr. hold off a determined challenge from Mr Roosevelt to capture the $100,000 Ruidoso Juvenile Stakes at The Downs at Albuquerque on June 7.

© Coady Media

By Emily Paulk, StallioneSearch

ALBUQUERQUE, NM—JUNE 7, 2026—Second-fastest qualifier Indefensible turned in another stellar performance Sunday afternoon, defeating a talented field in the $100,000 Ruidoso Juvenile Stakes at The Downs at Albuquerque.

With Sergio Becerra Jr. aboard, Indefensible broke sharply, seized the lead early and drifted out slightly through the stretch while holding off a determined challenge from Mr Roosevelt to win by a head. The colt covered 350 yards in :17.258 while earning a 96 speed index.

Owned by Gastroprotect Racing LLC and trained by Eric Valenzuela, Indefensible was bred in California by Steve Burns, DVM. The $99,000 Heritage Place Yearling Sale graduate is sired by leading sire Favorite Cartel and out of the stakes-winning Wave Carver mare Indeed A Delight ($48,947).

The winning connections of Indefensible accept the $100,000 Ruidoso Juvenile Stakes trophy at the Downs of Albuquerque on Sunday. © Coady Media

His second dam is Dam of Distinction and Broodmare of the Year Fortune Of Delight ($100,269), while the female family also includes champion A Delightful Dasher ($1,660,525).

The victory was the second from as many starts for the colt, boosting his earnings to $48,967.

Mr Roosevelt and jockey Gilberto Linares finished a game second after breaking inward and pressing the winner throughout the race before coming up a head short at the wire.

The gelding races for owner Zane Kiehne and trainer John Stinebaugh. Bred by Jorge Haddad, Mr Roosevelt was a $55,000 graduate of the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale.

The son of world champion sire FDD Dynasty is out of the stakes-placed Louisiana Senator mare Time For The Senator and is a half-brother to stakes winner Mrs Kennedy TLC ($199,146).

His female family traces to world champion Apollitical Jess ($1,399,831) and champion and Broodmare of the Year Apollitical Time ($904,242). Mr Roosevelt now sports a record of 3-1-1-0 with earnings of $32,354. He earned a 95 speed index while stopping the clock in :17.272.

Fastest qualifier Promising rallied after being bumped at the start to finish third under Jose Enriquez. The gelding races for Tungsten Racing Partnership, Barron Racing LLC, Mario Ortega and Empire Racing and is trained by Eric Valenzuela.

Bred by Edward Allred, Promising was a $72,000 graduate of the Los Alamitos Equine Sale. The son of champion Golden Boi is out of the winning Separate Interest mare Seems Up, a full sister to stakes winner She Goes Up ($219,647) and a half-sister to four additional stakes winners. The second dam is stakes winner Up For It ($164,280).

Promising entered the race off a third-place effort in the West Texas Juvenile Stakes and now owns a record of 4-2-0-2 with earnings of $32,470. He completed the 350 yards in :17.292 and earned a 95 speed index.

Favorite Canvas finished fourth and was followed by Cartier, Flower Moone, Dashing Cowboy, and Southern Looks and Strawberry Cowgirl, who dead-heated for eighth place.

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