AURORA, CO—JUNE 13, 2013—Two Quarter Horse stakes, the Cherry Creek Futurity and the Lucille Rose Derby are carded Saturday and Sunday at Arapahoe Park.

Cherry Creek Futurity
Half sisters Midori N Smoke, Caravella N Smoke, and Disaronno N Smoke will race against each other in the finals of the 330-yard, $75,000 Cherry Creek Futurity for Colorado-bred 2-year-old Quarter Horses on Saturday at Arapahoe Park.

All three fillies share the same dam, Smokin Corona, but are sired by Special Leader, Shazoom and Heza Fast Dash. They were bred in Colorado by owner Margo Schares. Smokin Corona, who was also bred and owned by Schares, won the Cherry Creek Futurity in 2002.

John Hammes trains the siblings and will also saddle Centercurlincash for a total of four of the 10 finalists. Midori N Smoke, who will be ridden by Zacharie Kelsey, was the fastest qualifier in the May 31 trials, clocking 16.416 seconds. Her time was .169 seconds faster than the next fastest qualifier, Nifty Fury, who is trained by Chris Gandarilla and will be ridden by Michael Ybarra.

Lucille Rowe Derby
Iza Sugar N Spice was too potent for her rivals in her trial to the Lucille Rowe Derby on May 31 and enters Sunday's 350-yard, $55,000 finals for 3-year-old Quarter Horses bred in Colorado as the fastest qualifier in the field of 10.

Owned by Richard and Genevieve Herman, trained by Hipolito Michel-Valverde, and ridden by Jose Montoya, the Toast to Dash filly won her 350-yard trial by 2 1/4 lengths in a time of 17.530 seconds, .373 seconds faster than the next fastest qualifier, Avatar 2010, by Ivory James.

The other of the two trials to the Lucille Rowe Derby on May 31 was won by Won for the Road in 18.133 seconds. Owned by Marylynn Fischer, trained by Lupe Chavez, and to be ridden by Francisco Raul Ramirez, Jr., Won for the Road collected his first career victory in the trials. Jockey Zacharie Kelsey rode the Ketel Won gelding in the trials but will instead pilot Avatar 2010 in the finals.

Frazier Two Away From 2,000
Jockey Don Lee Frazer enters the weekend with 1,998 career Thoroughbred victories. Frazier, 53, began riding in 1977. As he approaches the 2,000 milestone, he is based primarily in Colorado, Nebraska, and New Mexico.

Purcell To Ride In Grade 1 Stakes At Churchill
Kelsi Purcell, who has seven Thoroughbred wins in just 22 starts in three weeks, the second-highest win total among Arapahoe Park’s jockeys, will travel to Churchill Downs in Kentucky on Saturday to pilot So Big Is Better in the 1 1/16-mile, $100,000 Grade 1 President of the United Emirates Cup Stakes for Arabians. So Big Is Better, who is owned and trained by Mark Powell, is coming off a six-length allowance win at Arapahoe Park on June 2. It will be Purcell’s first time riding beneath the Twin Spires.

First “Wagering Do’s & Donut’s” Class On Saturday
Arapahoe Park track announcer Jonathan Horowitz will host the first “Wagering Do’s & Donut’s” class of the season on Saturday. The class about horse racing history and wagering will also feature free donuts, coffee, and programs and take place from 11:15 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Director’s Room on the second floor. “Wagering Do’s & Donut’s” are also scheduled for Saturday, July 6, and Saturday, July 27.