Multiple stakes winner Pavel will compete in one of six trials on Saturday at Ruidoso Downs for the $150,000-est. Mountain Top Quarter Horse Derby.

© Coady Media

By Louanne Wainscott, StallioneSearch.com

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—MAY 29, 2025–A total of 53 New Mexico-bred 3-year-olds will compete in six trial heats on Saturday, May 31, at Ruidoso Downs, all aiming to post one of the ten fastest times and earn a berth in the $150,000-est. Mountain Top Quarter Horse Derby final on Saturday, June 14.

Each trial will be contested at 350 yards.

The opening trial (Race 2) features Woody Rocks, installed as the 2-1 morning line favorite. The son of Woodbridge, out of the Rock Solid Jess mare Jr Rock Star, enters off a sharp win in the Grade 2 New Mexico Horse Breeders Association Stakes on April 5.

Trained by Tony E. Sedillo for CHR Racing, Woody Rocks has compiled six wins from nine starts and has finished off the board only once, earning $272,029. Luis Martinez will ride from post four.

Trial two (Race 3) features top earner Pavel, who boasts $355,930 in career earnings from seven wins in ten starts. Racing for owner/trainer Jorge Luis Sanchez, Jr., the gelded son of Czar Cartel Mv is out of the Tempting Dash mare Camelia.

In 2024, Pavel captured the Grade 2 New Mexico Spring Futurity, the Grade 3 New Mexico Breeders Futurity, and the New Mexico Classic Juvenile Stakes. He breaks from post three under Luis Martinez.

In the third trial (race 4), Party On the Moon has been installed as the 2-1 favorite. Bred by First Moonflash out of the Volcom mare Volcom Flame, the gelding is owned by Debra M. Gotovac and trained by Bradley C. Bolen.

He comes off a runner-up effort by a neck in the Sam Houston Derby Challenge on May 17. With $67,320 in earnings from ten starts, he will be ridden by Cristian Reyes from post five.

The fourth trial (Race 5) is topped by 2-1 morning line favorite Two Macho for You, trained by Wesley T. Giles, who has five entries in the trials. The gelding is a son of Kj Mucho Macho Man out of the Wagon Tales mare Tiramisu for Two.

Owned by Ezra Elton Lee, Two Macho for You won the 2024 New Mexico State Fair Juvenile Stakes and has earnings of $86,414 from ten starts, including two wins. Noe Garcia, Jr. has the call from post two.

Trial five (Race 6) features Layer Cake, one of 13 entrants conditioned by James J. Gonzales, III. Sired by Eye Am King out of the Dash Ta Fame mare Tangled Vines, the filly is co-owned by Triple R Racing Stables, LLC, Denis & Julie Schoenhofer, Kim Middelton, and Wallace L. Landrum.

With $153,051 earned from just four starts, Layer Cake’s résumé includes a third-place finish in the Grade 2 New Mexico State Fair Futurity. She starts from post seven with Christian Cardenas aboard.

The final trial (Race 7) showcases Harken, the second-highest earner in the field with $340,377. The Grade 3 West Texas Derby winner has six wins from ten starts and is trained by Jesus M. Soto for Alepony, LLC.

The Eye Am King gelding is out of Donelli, a daughter of Big Daddy Cartel. He will start from post three under Sergio Becerra, Jr.

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

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