Grade 1 Ruidoso Derby winner Gf Shes Sinful is the 6-5 morning-line favorite in the third trial to the Rainbow Quarter Horse Oaks at The Downs Sunday afternoon.

© Coady Media

By Louanne Wainscott, StallioneSearch

ALBUQUERQUE, NM–JUNE 25, 2026–The road to two of the summer's richest races continues Sunday at Albuquerque Downs, where an 11-race card features the Rainbow Quarter Horse Oaks and Rainbow Quarter Horse Derby Trials. The afternoon begins at 1:30 p.m. with five trial heats for the Rainbow Quarter Horse Oaks, followed by six for the Rainbow Quarter Horse Derby. A total of 95 sophomores will compete over 440 yards, with the 10 fastest qualifiers in each division advancing to the July 11 finals.

The opening five races are for 3-year-old fillies, with 41 runners competing for a berth in the Grade 1 $350,000 Rainbow Quarter Horse Oaks.

The standout among the Oaks contenders is Gf Shes Sinful, the 6-5 morning-line favorite in the third trial. The talented filly has been perfect in two starts this season, winning both her trial and the Grade 1 $745,000 Ruidoso Derby by an impressive one-length margin. She has won five of six career starts, earning $359,456 for owners All In Partners, who purchased her for $50,000 at the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale.

The Oklahoma-bred daughter of Dulce Sin Tacha is out of the Foose mare Bf Fooserageous and was bred by Kevin A. Birrell. Wesley T. Giles trains the filly, who will break from post four with Noe Garcia Jr. in the saddle.

Another major contender appears in the second trial, with Beuteeful entering as the 4-5 morning-line favorite. She has also opened her 2026 campaign with two victories, winning both her trial and the Grade 1 $416,000 Los Alamitos Oaks. In the Oaks final, she prevailed by a head in a determined stretch battle.

Owned by Keith W. Nellesen, she has won seven of nine career starts and earned $488,172. She was a $29,000 purchase at the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale. The Utah-bred daughter of Kvn Corona is out of the First Down Dash mare Budder Think Twice and was bred by McColee Land & Livestock, LLC. Joel J. Gonzales trains the filly, who will start from post eight on the outside. Francisco Calderon will make his first mount on the filly.

The spotlight shifts to the Derby division in races six through eleven, where 54 sophomores will compete for a spot in the Grade 1 estimated $1,000,000 Rainbow Quarter Horse Derby.

Point Blank Range headlines the fourth trial in race nine as the 3-1 morning-line favorite. The gelding has been flawless this season, winning all three of his starts, including the Grade 2 $336,000 Heritage Place Derby, where he defeated stablemate Jc Speeding by a length. He has a career record of three wins, one second, and one third from five starts, earning $159,631.

Owned by 918 Bloodstock, the gelding was purchased for $40,000 at the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale. He is by Tell Cartel and out of the Bodacious Dash mare Fannie Blankers. Bred in Oklahoma by J. Garvan Kelly and J. Lloyd Yother, he is trained by Dee Keener and will break from post four, with Roman Cruz in the saddle.

One of the afternoon's most anticipated runners, Political Twist, appears in the fifth Derby trial, making his first start of 2026. The 9-5 morning-line favorite built one of the strongest juvenile campaigns in the country last year, winning the Grade 2 West Texas Futurity and the Grade 1 Ruidoso Futurity before finishing second in the Grade 1 All American Futurity. He also qualified for the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity.

The gelding has won six of eight career starts, with one second-place finish, and has earned $1,138,430 for La Feliz Montana Ranch, LLC., which purchased him for $150,000 at the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale.

The son of Apollitical Jess, out of the Tres Seis mare C Twister Seis, was bred in New Mexico by MJ Farms. Daniel R. Ruiz Amaya conditions the millionaire runner, who will start from post six with regular rider Luis Martinez in the saddle.

With nearly 100 talented 3-year-olds competing for just 20 spots in the finals, every trial will carry major importance. Sunday's program features proven Grade 1 winners, emerging stars, and several of the division's top earners, making it one of the strongest trial cards of the summer as the chase for the Rainbow Oaks and Rainbow Derby finals continues.

The races at Albuquerque Downs can be watched on Q-Racing Video.

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