Challenge


SC Vapor Trial In Competitive Adequan Ruidoso Derby Trials
John Deere Los Alamitos Juvenile Challenge winner Sc Vapor Trail will face strong contenders in Friday's Adequan Ruidoso Derby Challenge trials.

© Scott Martinez
SC Vapor Trial In Competitive Adequan Ruidoso Derby Trials

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—JUNE 11, 2018—Reliance Ranches, LLC’s homebred Sc Vapor Trail has found success in the American Quarter Horse Association’s Challenge races and looks to add to that resume when she starts in the trials to the $60,000 (est.) Adequan Ruidoso Derby trials on Friday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.

First post time is 1 p.m. and the 400-yard Adequan Derby trials comprise the first four races. The horses with the 10-fastest times from the trials advance to the Adequan Ruidoso Derby on June 30. The top-two finishers in the Adequan Ruidoso Derby qualify to compete in the Derby Challenge Championship on November 17 at Los Alamitos.

Sc Vapor Trail, racing in the second trial, won the $44,000 John Deere Los Alamitos Juvenile Challenge last fall. She was bumped at the start and still went on to the one-half length win.

A daughter of Corona Cartel and Spit Curl Diva, Sc Vapor Trail should be in peak for the Adequan Ruidoso Derby trials. After a layoff, she finished fifth in the Mr Master Bug Stakes against older horses at Remington Park.

Sc Vapor Trail took a step forward and won her Heritage Place Derby trial by two lengths, however her time was not fastest enough to qualify for the derby. That is her latest out.

“She ran a big, big race in the Heritage Place Derby trials,” said trainer Mike Robbins. “She’s a little quirky, but she leaves there hard and runs hard.”

Stormy Smith rides Sc Vapor Trail in the second trial with the third post position.

Seminole Senator had a strong two-year-old campaign and is looking to rejoin the stakes ranks as a three-year-old.

The Mike Joiner-trained Seminole Senator won the 2017 Four Corners Futurity and was second in the $252,515 La Fiesta Futurity at The Downs at Albuquerque.

This year, Seminole Senator was second in a conditioned allowance race at Remington Park and fifth in his Ruidoso Derby trial.

G.R. Carter Jr. rides Seminole Senator in the fourth trial with the third post position.

Yuriana Ramirez’s Famous Joker, who raced in last summer’s $100,000 Rainbow Juvenile, was second in the 2017 John Deere Turf Paradise Juvenile Challenge as the 8-5 favorite. A $100,000 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale purchase, Famous Joker was second in the AQRA President’s Derby at Turf Paradise two stats ago.

The gelding by One Famous Eagle is trained by Juan Meraz and drew the inside post position in the third trial. Federico Martinez rides.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

For additional Ruidoso Downs information, go to the new raceruidoso.com, visit the Ruidoso Downs Race Track and Casino Facebook page and follow Ruidoso Downs on Twitter @RuiPressBox.

For Ruidoso Downs racing news CLICK HERE.