Deep Quarter Horse Feature Precedes All American Action

COURTESY OF STALLIONESEARCH.COM


Genuine American winning the New Mexico Breeders Handicap at SunRay Park.
Photo by Coady Photography

Deep Quarter Horse Feature Precedes All American Action



RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—AUGUST 11, 2007—Recent New Mexico Breeders Handicap winner Genuine American heads a deep Quarter Horse feature on Saturday, the start of the weekend before All American action picks up on Thursday afternoon.
The 10-race Saturday card starts with the usual 1 p.m. first post time with the 350-yard feature running as the ninth race. There is always free parking and free general admission at Ruidoso Downs.

Saturday’s main event brings out the J and L Stables’ Genuine American, who faces open company after a narrow win over New Mexico-breds in the Grade 3 New Mexico Breeders Handicap at SunRay Park. The Carl Draper-trained 3-year-old Genuine Strawfly gelding raced the 400 yards in :19.45 to hold on for a head win.

It was the third-straight victory for Genuine American after winning his maiden and taking second-level allowance races in his two previous starts.

Oscar Hernandez, who was up for the Breeders Handicap win, has the call with the ninth post position in the 10-horse field.

Diane Heath’s Azure Royal Te is also riding a 3-race winning streak, but his three wins were two years ago. Before the 2-year layoff he won five of seven starts — all in Arizona — and concluded his 3-race winning streak with a daylight win in the Yavapai Futurity.

Trainer Raul Hernandez has named J.R. Valenzuela on Azure Royal Te with the fourth post position.

All American festivities start on Thursday afternoon with the daylong trials to the Grade 1, $2 million All American Futurity. Expected to headline the trials are 2-time Grade 1 futurity winner Wild Six and Ruidoso Futurity winner Heartswideopen. Wild Six, a Tres Seis filly, is undefeated from five starts with Grade 1 wins in the West Texas Futurity and the Rainbow Futurity, her most recent start. Heartswideopen, a Feature Mr Jess filly, has won four of five starts with her sole setback in the West Texas Futurity.

The trials to the Grade 1, $500,000 (est.) All American Derby on Friday afternoon should bring out two stars from the Paul Jones stable, No Secrets Here and Separate Bet. No Secrets Here, a son of First Down Dash, won last year’s All American Futurity while Separate Bet, a gelding by Separatist, set a Ruidoso Downs’ 400-yard track record and won the Grade 1, $450,000 Rainbow Derby from his three local starts this summer.

Post time for the All American Futurity trials will be determined on Sunday while the All American Derby trial program will begin with the usual 1 p.m. first post time.