Woody Rocks Pops Bubble On Six-Figure Summer Sale Graduates To Get Top Mark in Zia Futurity Trials
RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM–JULY 5, 2024–Going into trial 12 on Friday for the restricted Grade 1 $368,451 Zia Quarter Horse Futurity at Ruidoso Downs Racetrack & Casino, the top three qualifying spots were held down by three six-figure Ruidoso New Mexico Bred Sale graduates.
Woody Rocks, picked up for a mere $25,000 at the same sale, rolled to a 2-1/2 length win while posting the top qualifying time of 19.812, with an 87-speed index on a sloppy race course into a 16 mph crosswind. Christian Ramos had the riding assignment.
The 10 fastest NM-Bred qualifiers from 13 400-yard trial races contested today will return to the mountain-top racetrack on Sunday, July 21, to vie for a $154,749 winner's purse.
Trainer Tony Sedillo saddled Woody Rocks, the Mountain Top QH Juvenile winner in his last start, to his third consecutive win for owner CHR Racing. MJ Farms bred the Woodbridge gelding from the Fantastic Corona Jr mare Jr Rock Star. He has banked $33,483 in four starts this year.
The three-six-figure graduates slid down one more slot each after Kj Bad Moon Rising, a homebred racing for owner-breeders John and Kathy Lee, broke his maiden in the closing trial to get the second-fastest time of 19.893 seconds, an 85-speed index with an 11 tailwind.
Adrian Ramos rode the gelding by first-crop sire Kj Mucho Macho Man to his first win in two starts for trainer Wesley Giles. The bay gelding is out of Kj Kiss Me Goodbye by First Moonflash.
Mendel, a $160,000 Ruidoso NM-Bred Yearling Sale graduate, drew off quickly under champion jockey Francisco Calderon to win the third trial by 2-1/2 lengths in the third fastest time of 19.914 seconds, an 84-speed index with a 7 mph tailwind.
Trainer James J. Gonzales III conditions the gray son of multiple stakes sire Big Daddy Cartel for owner Rancho El 48 LLC. Also a finalist in the Mountain Top QH Futurity(RG2) last month, Mendel was bred by MJ Farms from the Mr Jess Perry mare Diamondia. He has earned $29,979 from a (3) 2-0-0 record.
Mountain Top QH Futurity(RG2) winner Harken raced to his third consecutive win under jockey Sergio Becerra, Jr. in trial 8. The son of leading third-crop sire, Eye Am King, posted the fourth fastest time of 19.945 seconds, an 83-speed index with a 7 mph crosswind on a sloppy racecourse.
Marco Flores trains the $145,000 Ruidoso New Mexico-Bred Yearling Sale graduate for owner Ernesto Soto. MJ Farms bred the $163,566 earner from the Big Daddy Cartel mare Donelli.
In just his second career start, Alamos, a $185,000 Ruidoso New Mexico-Bred Yearling Sale graduate, broke his maiden in trial 10 to get the fifth-fastest clocking of 19.950 seconds, an 83-speed index on a sloppy track into a 7 mph crosswind.
Trainer James Gonzales III named champion jockey James Flores to ride the Eye Am King gelding for owner Triple R Racing Stables LLC, Ted Rushing, Wallace Landrum, Denis Schoenhofer, and Julie Schoenhofer. Alamos was a troubled sixth in his other start, a trial for the Mountain Top QH Futurity(RG2).
CLICK HERE for the complete Zia QH Futurity qualifiers, with times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers, and jockeys.
The second 10 fastest qualifiers from today's trials are preferred invites to the $50,000 Zia QH Juvenile that will also run back on Sunday, July 21. CLICK HERE for that list.
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Live racing resumes on Saturday, July 6, with a 14-race card that includes trials for the Grade 1 Rainbow Derby and the Zia QH Derby. The first post is at 12:30 p.m. (MDT).