RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—JULY 10, 2017—Winning streaks are on the line when Daddys Blushing starts in the trials for the $370,820 Zia Futurity and Running Dragon races in the trials to the record-setting $176,005 Zia Derby on Saturday at Ruidoso Downs.

There is a special 12 noon first post time for the 10 Zia Futurity trials and the four Zia Derby trials. All of the trials are for New Mexico-breds at 400 yards.

The $176,005 purse for the Zia Derby surpasses the record purse of $163,843 set in 2016. It is the fourth-consecutive year that the Zia Derby has established a new record purse.

The horses with the 10-fastest times from each set of trials qualify for their respective finals during the Zia Festival on July 30. The Zia Futurity has the largest purse of any race during the stakes-stocked Zia Festival.

Gary Hartstack’s Daddys Blushing has impressed with four wins from four career outs.

A gelding by Big Daddy Cartel that was purchased for $14,000 at the Ruidoso yearling sale, Daddys Blushing first gained attention with success against open horses at Sam Houston Race Park. He won his Sam Houston Futurity trial in his debut and then took the $48,000 Sam Houston Juvenile by a neck.

Daddys Blushing joined the Jackie Riddle stable at Ruidoso Downs for the summer season. He faced New Mexico-breds in the trials to the $393,000 Mountain Top Futurity and raced to a one-and-one-quarter-length trial score. He backed up that effort with a one-half length win in the 350-yard Mountain Top Futurity.

Regular rider Francisco Calderon rides Daddys Blushing with the eighth post position in the sixth trial.

Daddys Blushing’s competition could come from next door to him in the starting gate. Too For Two’s Bigg Daddy was third in the Mountain Top Futurity and drew the ninth post position.

Bigg Daddy, another gelding by Big Daddy Cartel, qualified for the $140,000 New Mexican Spring Futurity at Sunland Park and then dominated his Mountain Top Futurity trial by two-and-three-quarter lengths. The Wes Giles-trained gelding, that was produced by champion Alice K White, was one length behind Daddys Blushing in the Mountain Top Futurity.

All-time leading quarter horse jockey G.R. Carter Jr. picks up the mount on Bigg Daddy.

The Zia Derby trials, the 11th through 14th races, bring out By By JJ LLC’s Running Dragon in the first trial, the 11th race.

Running Dragon, sired by Zulu Dragon, has won her latest four races and sports an impressive career record of 10 wins and one second from 12 starts. She has earned $572,641.

During her current winning streak, Running Dragon has taken the $95,000 Shue Fly Stakes, $85,000 NMHBA Stakes and the $85,000 Sunburst Stakes, all at Sunland Park.

Last summer at Ruidoso Downs, Running Dragon won the $364,000 Mountain Top Futurity. She had a horrific start in the $409,000 Zia Futurity and finished ninth, her only off-the-board result.

Trainer Juan Gonzalez has regular rider Adrian A. Ramos on Running Dragon.

Daniel Balderrama’s Magnifico Dragon was second to Running Dragon in the Shue Fly Stakes back in January. Another Zulu Dragon offspring, Magnifico Dragon returned in the trials to the Grade 1, $800,000 Ruidoso Derby on May 28 and won his trial by three quarters of a length. That is the most recent start for the $293,621 earner.

Mauro Salcedo, the only jockey Magnifico Dragon has known, is aboard for trainer Cynthia Gonzalez with the third post position in the third trial, the 13th race.

Terry and Irene Stennett’s Percyjones will be dangerous in the afternoon’s final race, the fourth Zia Derby trial. The $35,000 Ruidoso yearling sale purchase was a close second to Running Dragon in last summer’s Mountain Top Futurity and held his form throughout the year for trainer Trey Wood. His final 2016 start was a close third-place run behind stablemate High Plains Perry in the Grade 1, $1-million Texas Classic Futurity at Lone Star Park.

Percyjones won a conditioned allowance race at Remington Park in his only 2017 appearance.

Ricky Ramirez has the mount with the seventh post position.

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