HEARTSWIDEOPEN & WILD SIX

COURTESY OF STALLIONESEARCH.COM


"THE BEAUTIFUL GIRLS" Photo Credit: Bill Pitt, Jr.

Long Awaited Showdown Set For All American Futurity on Monday




RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—AUGUST 31, 2007—The biggest showdown in recent years in Quarter Horse racing and, arguably, the biggest showdown in All American Futurity history takes place on Monday afternoon when Ruidoso Futurity winner Heartswideopen and Rainbow Futurity winner Wild Six start side-by-side in the finals to the Grade 1, $2 million All American Futurity over 440 yards.

There will be a special 11:30 a.m. first post time on Labor Day to accommodate the large crowd with the All American Futurity scheduled to run at 4:40 p.m. MDT. Fans are urged to arrive early and there will be free shuttle service from the free parking lots. Grandstand admission at Ruidoso Downs is always free. Turf Club seating sells out when it goes on sale every April.

The All American Futurity will be televised to an estimated 30 million homes by TVG, the premier horseracing network. TVG is sending a crew of more than 20 people, including their lead announcing crew headed by anchor Todd Schrupp and Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Gary Stevens, who grew up dreaming of winning the All American Futurity.

All eyes at Ruidoso Downs and watching on TVG will be concentrating on Heartswideopen and Wild Six, the only Grade 1 qualifiers and Grade 1 winners in the field, when they start next to each other. Heartswideopen starts from the eighth post position while Wild Six starts from the seventh post position.

Wild Six, a filly by Tres Seis, has been installed as the 8-5 morning line favorite while Heartswideopen, a filly by Feature Mr Jess, is the 2-1 second choice.

Javier and Manny Rodriguez’s Heartswideopen has set records in two of her three starts this summer at Ruidoso Downs. After setting the fastest-qualifying time to the Grade 1, $500,000 Ruidoso Futurity, Heartswideopen dominated the 350-yard finals when she won by 1-1/4 lengths in a stakes record :17.08.

That was just a minor record when compared to what she did in her next start, the All American Futurity trials.

After Carl Draper, who won the 2004 All American Futurity with world champion DM Shicago, decided to pass the Rainbow Futurity with Heartswideopen, the filly showed that was correct decision when she won her 440-yard trial by 1-1/4 lengths in :20.921, the all-time fastest qualifying time to the All American Futurity and, more importantly, the fastest quarter mile ever run by a filly or mare. It’s the seventh all-time fastest time and the six times quicker than hers were run by males.

Regular rider Oscar Hernandez rides Heartswideopen.

Wild Six has been perfect for trainer Wes Giles with six wins from six starts, capped by Grade 1 wins in the Rainbow Futurity and the West Texas Futurity.

While Heartswideopen was passing the Rainbow Futurity, Wild Six raced to her richest win by taking the $625,000 Rainbow Futurity by a game neck. She prevailed by running the 400 yards in :19.42.

Like Heartswideopen, Wild Six showed that the 440-yard distance of the All American Futurity suits her when she won her trial by more than three lengths. Her very impressive :21.051 qualifying time is the second-fastest time from more than 170 horses who competed in the 18 time trials on Aug. 16. Tony Guymon, the only rider Wild Six has known, will be aboard.

Among the horses given the best chances to upset the favored pair are Greatful Heart and SF Royal Bank.

Greatful Heart, a Corona Caliente gelding, is undefeated from two starts, capped by a half-length win in the first All American Futurity trial that held up as the ninth-fastest qualifying time.

Greatful Heart, colt by Royal Quick Dash, has the second post position with Joe Martinez up.

SF Royal Bank is trainer Paul Jones’ chance for a record third straight All American Futurity victory. Jones won two years ago with Teller Cartel and won last year with fastest-qualifier No Secrets Here. SF Royal Bank won his first two starts before finishing fourth behind Heartswideopen in their trial, the only trial with more than one qualifier (four).

SF Royal Bank starts from the fourth post position and jockey Freddie Martinez.