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RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM–JUNE 1, 2024–Leading breeder MJ Farms bred to the top seven qualifiers for the $175,258 Mountain Top NM Bred Quarter Horse Derby during six trials contested on Saturday at Ruidoso Downs

The 10 fastest qualifiers are set to return to the mountain racetrack on Saturday, June 15th, to vie for a winner's purse valued at $73,608, going 350 yards.

Copy Of Jess led the MJ Farms' septet by winning the trial 3 by 1-1/4 lengths. The daughter of multiple stakes sire Jesse James Jr stumbled at the start under jockey Eduardo Nicasio but recovered quickly to complete the task in 17.407 seconds, an 85-speed index with a 12 mph tailwind.

Trainer James J. Gonzales III saddled Copy Of Jess her third win in eight starts for owners Denis and Julie Schoenhofer. Bred from the Heza Fast Man mare Fast Copy Miss, Copy Of Jess has banked $54,667 in eight starts. She was a finalist in the Mountain Top Juvenile Stakes last season.

Stakes winner Wood Be Bad was the second fastest qualifier off a 17.465 clocking, a 93-speed index with a 7 mph tailwind, in trial 1. Racing for owner Rancho El 48 LLC, the Woodbridge gelding has the same trainer-jockey combination as the fastest qualifier Copy Of Jess.

MJ Farms bred the four-time winner from the Pappasito mare Start Somethin Bad. Wood Be Ban has banked $116,039 in five career starts.

Gonzales teamed with jockey Noe Garcia, Jr. in the fifth trial to get the third fastest qualifier, Daddysqueenofalice. The graded stakes winning daughter of leading New Mexico sire Big Daddy Cartel races for owner Triple R Racing Stables LLC and Ken Middleton.

MJ Farms bred last year's Mountain Top QH Futurity winner from the champion mare Alice K White by First Down Dash. Daddysqueenofalice has earned $162,620.

MJ Farms' other finalists include the fourth-fastest Bigg Curlie Bill, the fifth-fastest Young Emperor, the sixth-fastest Miss Hi Tide, and the seventh-fastest Royal Post.

Mac and Janis Murry's MJ Farms was the leading consignor at last year's Ruidoso New Mexico Bred Yearling Sale, representing 33 head grossing more than $2.09 million. Two weeks later, the couple saw another 20 yearlings sell for $1.68 million in the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale.

The MJ Farms stallion roster of Woodbridge, Big Daddy Cartel, and Eye Am King each had multiple qualifiers in today's Mountain Top Derby trials.

JJ Gonzales III qualified the top four quarter horses for the New Mexico-bred Mountain Top Derby, including Bigg Curlie Bill who was second to Wood Bed Dade in the first race.

CLICK HERE for the complete list of Mountain Top NM Bred QH Futurity qualifiers with times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers, and jockeys.

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Racing continues Sunday at Ruidoso Downs with trials for the $112,407 Maiden Stakes. Post time is set for 1 p.m. (MDT).