Ruidoso Downs will be the focus for race fans this Thursday with trials for the $2 million All American Futurity. Two-year-olds with the 10 fastest times from 193 entries (20 trials at 440-yards – 4 more trials than in 2008) will qualify for the All American Futurity on Labor Day, September 7.
Last year’s All American Futurity winner, Stolis Winner, will make his 2009 debut at Ruidoso on Friday, August 21, in trials for the $625,000 All American Derby. The Stoli-sired gelding, owned by his breeder, Jerry Windham, earned $1.8 million last year and was named 2008 world champion Quarter racehorse, as well as champion 2-year-old and 2-year-old gelding.
Ragazzo, leading 2009 money earner ($486,135) through August 17, drew post position #9 in the ninth trial for the All American Futurity, where he will go against Runnning Brook Gal, runner-up in the G1 Rainbow Futurity. Ragazzo comes into the trials off of three consecutive wins at Remington Park for trainer Eddie Willis, including the $1 million Heritage Place Futurity on May 30.
Runnning Brook Gal, fastest qualifier to the G1 Ruidoso Futurity in her career debut, is a top contender for trainer Paul Jones, who sends out 21 horses in the Futurity trials. Runnning Brook Gal is pictured above with stablemate and All American Futurity entrant Brooks Midnight. Both Brookstone Bay-sired fillies are homebreds for Albert and Chad Richard, Roosevelt, UT.
Zoomin With Ease, the nation’s #2 money earner ($317,620), drew up sixth in the seventh trial. The John Buchanan-trained gelding won the Rainbow Futurity as a 12 to 1 longshot. It was his first win in five starts.
First Klas Fred, ranked sixth among leading 2009 money earners ($270,021), and Shake Em Money Pop renew their rivalry in the tenth trial. First Klas Fred raced to a 13 to 1 upset in the Ruidoso Futurity over Shake Em Money Pop, who went off at 4 to 1.
Ragazzo is a sired by Shazoom out of First Down Dash daughter, Las Alamitos; Zoomin With Ease is by the Shazoom son Azoom out of First Down Dash daughter All About Ease.