BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—AUGUST 18, 2020—A total of 313 2-year-old hopefuls are entered in this weekend’s 440-yard All American Futurity (G1) trials at Ruidoso Downs.

Sixteen trials will be contested on Friday and Saturday, starting at 11 a.m. (MDT). The five fastest qualifiers from each day will meet in the $3-million All American Futurity final on Labor Day, September 7.

Four Grade 1 winners -- Whistle Stop Cafe, Shott Gun, Hollyn Bootie, and Eye Work For You -- are among the 156 juveniles entered in Friday’s heats. A daughter of Freighttrain B trained by Blane Wood for owner Whitmire Ranch, Whistle Stop Cafe has won all four of her starts, including the 400-yard, $1-million Rainbow Futurity (G1) at Ruidoso Downs on July 19 -- and she has earned $470,186.

Whistle Stop Cafe drew post 5 and will be ridden by Ricky Ramirez in Friday’s 12th trial.

Shott Gun is trained by Heath Taylor for owner Bobby D. Cox. A homebred Valiant Hero gelding, Shott Gun has earned $356,259 from four races, and his two wins include the 350-yard, $826,000 Heritage Place Futurity (G1) at Remington Park on May 30.

Shott Gun drew post 5 and will be ridden by Rodrigo Vallejo in the fifth heat.

Hollyn Bootie and Eye Work For You have both won restricted futurities. A homebred Big Daddy Cartel filly trained by Blane Wood, Hollyn Bootie won the July 26, $353,000 Zia Futurity (RG1) for New Mexico-breds for owners Mark and Annette McCloy. Eye Work For You, a gelded son of Coronas Leaving You trained by Jaime Hernandez for owner Jose E. Guzman, is coming off of a spring campaign during which he won the April 18, 330-yard Remington Park Futurity (RG1) for Oklahoma-breds.

Saturday’s trials have drawn 157 entries, headed by Grade 1 winner Cyber Monday. A $140,000 purchase at last year’s Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale, Cyber Monday is a Favorite Cartel colt trained by Sergio Ibarra for owners LOS LLC and Abelardo F. Gallegos. Cyber Monday has won three of four starts, including the 350-yard, $1-million Ruidoso Futurity (G1) in June, and he has banked $511,441.

Cyber Monday drew post 5 and will be ridden by Sergio Becerra Jr. in Saturday’s 11th heat.

Ruidoso Futurity runner-up Misscandymountain and Instygator, the third-place runner in the Heritage Place Futurity (G1) are also entered in Saturday’s trials.

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