RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—JULY 28, 2019—David Valdez and Byron Woodard’s No Mires a La Luna held off a bid by Cat Daddys Lil Girl to gain his first stakes victory in the $197,725 Zia Derby (RG2) Sunday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.

No Mires a La Luna, ridden by Raul Ramirez Jr., finished neck in front of Cat Daddys Lil Girl, with a time of :19.558, while it was another two lengths back to third-place finisher Woodys Copy Cat.

Trained by Trey Ellis, No Mires a La Luna has shown class throughout his 12-race career. Last Labor Day, the gelding was third in the Grade 1, $3-million All American Futurity. The First Moonflash-sired gelding also had a close third-place finish in the 2018 $346,000 Mountain Top Futurity at Ruidoso Downs. Byron Woodard bred No Mires A La Luna from the Genuine Strawfly mare Dont Looke Ethel.

Runner-up Cat Daddys Lil Girl races for owners Jimmy Negrete and Jimmy Vasquez. Cynthia Gonzalez saddled the homebred daughter of Big Daddy Cartel from the Man On The Move mare Girlonthego. Ridden by jockey Mauro Salcedo, she earned $35,590 to increase her earnings to $109,656. She raced in last year’s $396,000 New Mexican Spring Futurity and the Mountain Top Futurity.

Graded stakes winner Woodys Copy Cat eaned $19,773 for third. Also trained by Gonzalez, the Woodbridge filly races for owner Enrique Barrera. MJ Farms bred the $308,347 earner from the Heza Fast Man mare Fast Copoy Miss. Manuel Gutierrez was up.

Chicks Baby Suds, Djs Winner, Midnite Blu, Legend Of The Vine, Zee James, Rallydownthealley and Vintage Vaquera completed the field.

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Marcus Medallion (#2) holds off Ryansmanonthemoon in the $50,000 Zia Handicap Saturday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.