Article Courtesy: StallionESearch | Photo Courtesy: Speedhorse
RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM–JUNE 29, 2024 – Ruidoso QH Futurity(G1) winner Hezgothelook Z took the next step toward the Ruidoso Triple Crown on Saturday while posting a 3-1/2 length win in the 11th of 15 trials contested on Day 2 for the $1,000,000 Grade 1 Rainbow QH Futurity at Ruidoso Downs Racetrack & Casino.
Today’s five fastest qualifiers will join the five fastest from yesterday’s 17 trials to vie for the $420,000 winner’s share of the million-dollar purse on Sunday. July 14 at Ruidoso Downs Racetrack & Casino,
Under regular rider Bryan Candanosa, Ruidoso QH Futurity(G1) winner Hezgothelook Z rolled over 400 yards in the 11th trial while clocking a time of 19:417 seconds, the second-fastest of the day.
Trainer Toby Keeton conditions the son of leading sire Favorite Cartel for owner Triple One Ranch LLC. A $70,000 Heritage Place September Yearling Sale graduate, Hezgothelook Z has banked $432,300 from three wins in four starts.
A win in the Rainbow QH Futurity(G1) on July 14 would give the colt a shot at trying to become only the second horse in history to win Ruidoso’s 2-year-old Triple Crown–the Ruidoso QH Futurity, Rainbow QH Futurity, and All American Futurity. World Champion Special Effort won the triple crown in 1981.
Racing for owner-breeder La Feliz Montana Ranch LLC, Fdd Dreams and jockey Luis Martinez raced to a 3-1/2 length win in the seventh trial to set the top qualifying time of 19.356 seconds, equaling a 98-speed index with a 7 mph tailwind. La Feliz Montana also qualified Little Vaquero on Friday, Day 1 of the trials.
Xavier Rodriguez trains Fdd Dreams, a New Mexico homebred son of four-time world champion sire FDD Dynasty from the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity finalist Treasured Dreams by Apollitical Jess.
Fdd Dreams is a sibling to Ruidoso QH Futurity(G1) finalist Elmer. The second dam is the Grade 3 winner, Answer The Dream by Tres Seis. She is the dam of eight black types, including Grade 1 Los Alamitos Oaks winner Dreams Divine.
Fdd Dreams has won three of four starts while suffering his only loss in a troubled trip in the West Texas Futurity(G2) on April 6. He has earned $22,019.
Candy Going Viral, an $85,000 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale graduate, kept his 2-for-2 record intact in trial five while posting the third-fastest qualifying time: 19.508 seconds, a 94-speed index and a 14 mph tailwind. Trainer Ricardo G. Armendariz, Jr. conditions the son of champion Jess Good Candy for owner Aureliano Aranda, Jr.
Mercy Hinklins Horse Farm LLC bred Candy Going Viral in Texas from the multiple stakes-producing Jess Elie mare A Noble Jess Elie. The gelding, a half-sibling to Harrah’s Futurity (G3) winner Going Noble and Heritage Place Juvenile winner FDD Cloud, won a trial for the Ruidoso QH Futurity(G1) in his career debut.
Just Dulce, a $385,000 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale graduate, finished second to Candy Going Viral to get the fourth fastest time of 19.526 seconds. It was the second career start for the full brother to champion Dulce Sin Tacha. Trainer Marc E. Jungers conditions the colt for the Just Dulce Partnership. Bred in Texas by Bob and Jerry Gaston, Just Dulce is from the Tempting Dash mare Prissy Sin Tacha.
Also, from the family of world champion Streakin Sin Tacha, the son of champion Jess Good Candy broke his maiden in his first start, a trial for the Ruidoso QH Futurity last month.
Highly Regarded V, a half-brother to West Texas Derby(G3) winner Lethal Avenger, broke his maiden in the third trial to get the final qualifying spot on day 2. Champion jockey Francisco Calderon rode the Texas-bred son of leading sire Apollitical Jess to a 2-1/4 length win while stopping the timer in 19.530 seconds, a 92-speed index with an 11 mph tailwind. P.K. and Kim Thomas bred the colt in Texas from the Grade 1-placed Tres Seis mare Lethal Class. This is the family of champion Volcoms Bay.
The slight tailwind switched to a headwind for the 14th and 15th trials. Following that, the track was forced to cancel the last two races while the horses were at the gate for the 14th due to flash flooding from rain earlier in the day over the mountain’s burn area from last week’s devasting wildfires.
This caused the Rio Ruidoso to overflow the racetrack at the 5-furlong turn. For safety reasons, the track asked people to remain on the premises while crews dealt with the flood.
All but two of the trials were completed before the flooding occurred on the race track. According to the nomination rules for the Rainbow Futurity, horses that were entered in the two canceled races will receive a refund on their entry fees and will remain eligible for the Rainbow Derby as three-year-olds.
The second five fastest qualifiers from each day of trials are preferred invites for the $100,000 Rainbow QH Juvenile that will also run back on Sunday, July 14. CLICK HERE for those horses.
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Racing is scheduled to resume on Sunday with thirteen trials for the $800,000 Rainbow Derby for three-year-old quarter horses at 400 yards. The first post time is scheduled at 12:30 p.m. pending approval of track conditions by the New Mexico Racing Commission. Further information about Sunday’s races can be found at www.raceruidoso.com.