Jockey Esgar Ramirez qualified three finalists, including fastest qualifier Imperial Eagle, on day 1 of the $3 million All American Futurity trials(G1) at Ruidoso Downs.

© Ismaael Venegas

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—AUGUST 19, 2016—With day one of the 2016 All American Futurity(G1) trials in the books, Esgar Ramirez’s name monopolized the jockey column of the list of qualifiers as he put three horses into the finals of the labor day classic event.

The 33-year-old native of El Paso and Juarez, Mexico already has tasted victory in the All American Futurity in 2010 aboard Mr Piloto. Today’s accomplishment of qualifying three-out-of the top five has Ramirez praising the hard work he and his agent have put in to get to trials of the All American Futurity(G1) in such good order.

“To have one horse to qualify into the All American is such a blessing,” said Ramirez. “To have three, including the fastest qualifier, is nothing short of a miracle. It is really good feeling to have such a dream day at Ruidoso. This is what we work hard all year for in the morning to arrive at the trials with so many opportunities to get into the big race. My agent Kathy, and I are seeing all the hard work pay off here this year in Ruidoso.”

Two of the horses qualified into the finals with Ramirez aboard, the fourth and fifth fastest qualifiers, hail from the barn of Toby Keeton. The third mount that is credited with Ramirez as the rider is the Tony Sedillo trained day 1 fastest qualifier Imperial Eagle.

“This is a really nice horse,” said Ramirez. “It seems the further we go, the more he seems to like it. He also likes to run up against another horse in the race, and that certainly helped us in the trials. He is from a great pedigree as well. One Famous Eagle is such a good producer of runner, and his mother Jenuine Joy was a great runner herself.”

When Labor Day arrives, Ramirez will be competing in his seventh All American Futurity(G1), his first attempt was in 2005 aboard the second place finisher Arealstraitheart.