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Undefeated Running Dragon Leads Mountain Top Futurity Trials
New Mexican Spring Futurity winner Running Dragon will be among state-bred hopefuls in Friday's $365,000 Mountain Top Quarter Horse Futurity trials at Ruidoso Downs.

© Coady Photography
Undefeated Running Dragon Leads Mountain Top Futurity Trials

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—MAY 29, 2016—New Mexican Spring Futurity winner Running Dragon – along with the second-place runner Big Spurs and third-place finisher Dramatic Moon – return in the 10 trials to the $365,000 Mountain Top Quarter Horse Futurity at Ruidoso Downs on Friday afternoon.

It is the largest purse in the history of the Mountain Top Futurity, surpassing the $357,030 purse in 2013.

The horses with the 10-fastest trial times qualify for the 350-yard Mountain Top Futurity on June 18.

First post time is 1 p.m. and the 350-yard trials for New Mexico-breds comprise the entire program.

There is free general admission and free parking at Ruidoso Downs.

Running Dragon, owned and bred by By By JJ Limited Partnership, is a precocious filly with two wins from two starts. She set the fastest-qualifying time to the Spring Futurity in her first start when she raced the 300 yards in :15.468 while winning by one-half length.

A daughter of Zulu Dragon, Running Dragon then stepped up in the Spring Futurity to win by one-half length in :15.104 while being aiding by a 15 mile-per-hour tailwind.

Jose Enrique Ortiz rides Running Dragon with the outside post position in the final trial.

Astorga Racing’s Big Spurs was the second-fastest qualifier to the Spring Futurity and the 5-2 favorite in the Spring Futurity. The Big Daddy Cartel son won his trial by one-and-three-quarter lengths in :15.492 while facing a 10 mph headwind.

Big Spurs, a $15,000 supplemental nominee to the Mountain Top Futurity, starts from the inside post position in the second trial with Ivan Carnero riding for trainer Ronald Stephens.

Dramatic Moon has yet to win a race, however has earned more than he cost for owners Jose Espinosa, James Laird, Ezra Lee and Cindy Bennett. He was purchased for $22,000 at the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale and has earned $34,735 from his two outs.

The Wes Giles-trained Dramatic Moon was second in his Spring Futurity trial with the 10th-fastest time before his third-place run in the futurity at 15-1 odds.

For complete Ruidoso Downs’ information, go to www.raceruidoso.com, visit the Ruidoso Downs Race Track and Casino Facebook page and follow the Ruidoso Press Box (@RuiPressBox) on Twitter.