RUIDOSO DOWNS, New Mexico (September 2, 2019) — Jose Guzman and Rito Sosa’s Mr Jess Jenkins *(Heritage Place Graduate), a 13-1 longshot, spoiled owner R.D. Hubbard’s bid for his first All American Futurity victory when he rallied to get the neck win in the Grade 1, $3-million classic on Monday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.
The Labor Day program featuring the All American Futurity is the traditional closing day of the summer racing season.
The 440-yard All American Futurity offers the largest purse in quarter horse racing. The winner earns $1.5 million.
The James Flores-ridden Mr Jess Jenkins made a furious charge in the last half of the race to get the win in a photo finish.
“The horse ran awesome – he left every bit of it on the racetrack,” Flores said. He gave me 120 percent.
“Those other horses run their butts off, too – it was a good horse race.”
Mr Jess Jenkins, trained by 22-year-old Marcos Carrizales, covered the quarter mile in :21.302.
“Gelding him helped him tremendously,” Carrizales said. “Ever since we did it, he has trained well. Wow, the horse has done an amazing job.”
Sired by Apollitical Jess, Mr Jess Jenkins was winless in his first three starts and then reached the winner’s circle when he won his All American Futurity trial by one-and-one-half lengths. His time of :21.751 for 440 yards was the third-fastest mark during the first of two days of All American Futurity trials.
“He’s calm, he likes to go nice and relaxed,” Carrizales said. “He’s an amazing horse. He’s a nice horse to have in the barn. Keep him happy and he’ll do his job. From the trials to today, I just tried to keep him happy and that was about it.”
The All American Futurity field is determined from the two trial days with the horses with the five-fastest times on each day earning a berth in the All American Futurity.
Mr Riptide and Determined One each got excellent starts and for a while looked like they could give Hubbard a one-two sweep.
The New Mexico-bred Mr Riptide, a strapping gelding by Woodbridge, confidently rolled down the rail under Ricky Ramirez while the Cody Jensen ridden Determined One was sprinting near the lead. Then Mr Jess Jenkins caught them.
Mr Riptide has been sensational at Ruidoso Downs this summer. He easily handled state-breds when he won the $434,210 Zia Futurity and then took his All American Futurity trial by one-half length. His :21.681 trial time was the fastest qualifying mark on the first day of trials.
Mr Riptide was saddled in the All American Futurity by J.J. Gonzales II, who won the race as a jockey in 2003.
Determined One, who was bred by Hubbard, started his career at Los Alamitos in Southern California. The Hes Relentless-sired gelding finished fourth in the Grade 1, $1,070,000 Ed Burke Million Futurity on June 23. The next week he shipped to Ruidoso Downs to prepare for the All American Futurity trials in the Todd Fincher barn.
Following Determined One under the wire were Lil Miss Sashay, My Fast Prize, Gonna B Famous, Passionate Paris, Avyator, Elm Creek Chrome and Df Mischievious Jess.
Supporting the All American Futurity on the program was the $200,000 All American Juvenile for two-year-old quarter horses who did not qualify for the All American Futurity. Also, thoroughbreds raced in the $143,091 Rio Grande Senor Futurity and the $30,000 Governor’s Handicap.
HERITAGE PLACE GRADUATE UNCLE D WINS ALL AMERICAN JUVENILE
In the 440-yard All American Juvenile, Cavenaugh Quarter Horses, LLC’s Uncle D *(Heritage Place Graduate) lived up to his 6-5 expectations when he ran down Cers Final Try to win by an increasing neck.
Uncle D and jockey Cody Rodger Smith raced the quarter mile in :21.397.
Third place went to Hodgepodge Hocks, who was one-length behind Cers Final Try.
The Clint Crawford-trained Uncle D has been one of the most highly regarded two-year-olds in quarter horse racing. He finished second in the Grade 1, $1,073,100 Heritage Place Futurity at Remington Park and then came to Ruidoso Downs to win the Grade 1, $1-million Rainbow Futurity by one-and-one-quarter lengths.
Uncle D was the 1-5 favorite in his All American Futurity trial. However, he was upset by Elm Creek Kkrome, who reached the All American Futurity finals.
“We were pointing him at the All American weekend,” Crawford said. “We were ready to go either way (futurity or juvenile).
A superbly bred son of Corona Cartel and Little Surfer, Uncle D pushed his career earnings to $682,965 with the Juvenile victory. His dam, Little Surfer, is a sister to champions and Champion of Champions winners Ocean Runaway and Wave Carver.
Christina Robinson’s Cers Final Try, a gelding by One Dashing Eagle, ran a gallant race under jockey Manuel Gutierrez.
The Tony Sedillo-trained Cers Final Try scored back-to-back-wins before a second-place run in his All American Futurity trial.
Debra Gotovac’s Hodgepodge Hocks was third in his All American Futurity trial behind All American Futurity runner-up Mister Riptide.
Noe Garcia Jr. rode Hodgepodge Hocks for trainer Brad Bolen.
In the five-and-one-half-furlong Rio Grande Senor Futurity for New Mexico-bred males, Jimmy and Rebecca Powers’ Shame On Powers raced on the lead and then gamely held off a determined bid by R.D. Hubbard and Paul Blanchard’s Cerveza to get his second stakes win by a nose.