Races Cancelled at Ruidoso Downs
Sunday’s Zia Festival racing program at Ruidoso Downs was cancelled, after the remnants of Hurricane Dolly dropped more than six inches of rain in Ruidoso. The card of 10 stakes races for New Mexico-breds was to be highlighted by Peppers Pride’s attempt to set a North American record of 17 consecutive wins. She currently shares the 16-win record with Citation, Cigar, Mister Frisky and Hallowed Dreams.

Ruidoso Downs has rescheduled the Zia Festival program for next Saturday, August 2. “All the horses that entered for Sunday’s Zia Festival races are now entered for the Zia Festival card on Saturday,” said director of racing Robbie Junk.

High Brow CD thwarted in NCHA Triple Crown bid
On Sunday, NCHA Futurity winner and Super Stakes co-champion High Brow CD was taken out of contention for the NCHA Triple Crown by his second cow, during first go-round competition for the NCHA Derby.

The disappointment was palpable, as trainer Austin Shepard rode the sorrel son of High Brow Cat out of the arena before his allotted 2 1/2-minute working time-limit had expired. In spite of the loss, spectators still glimpsed the brilliance that brought High Brow CD to the event as the undefeated champion of four major events.

The 4-year-old stallion, who has earned $450,000 and is currently the leading contender for NCHA Horse of the Year, will continue to be shown, according to a spokesman for owners Chris and Staci Thibodeaux, Jennings, LA.

Bill Freeman
Cutters at the NCHA Summer Spectacular and Derby in Fort Worth this week were saddened to learn that Bill Freeman, who won the 1983 NCHA Triple Crown on Smart Little Lena, is gravely ill with viral pneumonia at Baylor Medical Center in Dallas. Freeman, 58, is cutting’s all-time open money earner, and helped engineer Smart Little Lena’s syndication and brilliant stud career.