Fine Am Eye Scores First Career Stakes Win In The $50,000 Vista Distaff Stakes

RUIDOSO, NM–JULY 4, 2024– Thursday was the first time Ruidoso Downs conducted racing since floodwaters came down the Rio Ruidoso on Saturday, canceling the final two races and the entire race card last Sunday. The entire eight-race card went off without issues today, including the $50,000 Vista Distaff Stakes, won by Fine Am Eye, who scored her first career stakes victory.

Jockey Noe Garcia Jr took the reins aboard Fine Am Eye, favored to win at 8/5 odds. The daughter of Eye Am King clocked a 94 speed index in :17.420 seconds with a four mph cross wind. The 350-yard neck victory over Ebw Dancnthemoonlite paid $5.60 to win.

Fine Am Eye has lit the board 14 of 20 starts with seven career wins, and the $30,000 winner's share of the purse boosts her earnings to $176,621.

The four-year-old New Mexico-bred filly placed third in the Lou Wooten and Sydney Valentini Handicap [G2] in January at Sunland Park. She placed second in the Sunburst Stakes and was a finalist in the Mountain Top Futurity [G2], NM State Fair Futurity [G2], NM State Fair Derby, NM Breeders' Stakes [G3] and NM Classic Juvenile Stakes earlier in her career.

MJ Farms bred Fine Am Eye out of Starsmith by Tres Seis. JJ Gonzalez trains the $27,000 Ruidoso New Mexico Bred Yearling Sale graduate for owner Backdoor Thoroughbreds LLC.

Luis Martinez piloted Ebw Dancnthemoonlite to her second-place finish 1/2-length over Flashtoglory. The five-time winning daughter of First Moonflash won the NM Classic Distaff last December. She placed second in the Lou Wooten and Sydney Valentini Handicap [G2] and fourth in the Jimmy Drakes Stakes [G3] this season.

Ebw Dancnthemoonlite has earned $228,968 for her owners, Scott Branson and Jimmy Vasquez. Ernie and Brenda Wood bred the five-year-old mare trained by David Gomez-Barraza out of Dance Like A Fool by Favorite Cartel.

Owner/trainer/breeder David Meridyth saddled jockey Alejandro Medina aboard third-place finisher Flashtoglory. The four-year-old filly has a race ecord of 3-7-4 from 19 starts with $147,342 in the bank.

She placed second in the NM State Fair Sophomore Stakes and third in the Shue Fly Stakes [G2. She was also a finalist in the Lou Wooten and Sydney Valentini Handicap [G2], NM Classic Derby [G2], NM State Faire Futurity [G2] and the Sunburst Stakes.

Dos Special Eye, First Flashin, Maka Roon, Get Down Dragon, Warm Red Wine and Big Daddys Dream complete the order of finish.

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Racing continues on Friday with trials for the $350,000 Zia Futurity for New Mexico-bred two-year-old quarter horses at 400 yards, with the first post set for 12:30 p.m. Racing will be held Friday, Saturday, and Sunday this weekend. For more info, visit www.raceruidoso.com.