RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—JUNE 2, 2019—A pair of champions from the Trey Wood stable — Apocalyptical Jess and Flying Cowboy 123 — race in the Grade 1, $957,482 Ruidoso Derby and the simulcast of the Belmont Stakes head a packed Saturday program at Ruidoso Downs.

First post time is 1 p.m.

Also on the program is the Dr Pepper Handicapping Challenge and the Belmont Stakes $500 Handicapping Drawing.

Bill Robbins’ Apocalyptical Jess has honored as the 2018 champion two-year-old gelding on the strength of his three-quarter-length win in the Grade 1, $3-million All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs last Labor Day.

Apocalyptical Jess returned this year in stunning form. He dominated the $319,975 Remington Park Oklahoma-bred Derby by one-and-three-quarter lengths and then set the top qualifying time to the Ruidoso Derby. Winning his trial by two-lengths as the 2-1 favorite, he raced the 400 yards in :19.749.

Flying Cowboy 123 was named the 2018 champion two-year-old colt after scoring a game head win in the Grade 1, $1,015,000 Texas Classic Futurity at Lone Star Park while Apocalyptical Jess finished sixth after a tardy start.

A half-brother to world champion Cold Cash 123, Flying Cowboy 123 fought a strong headwind and rain to win his Ruidoso Derby trial by two lengths. He reached the finals with a :19.908 time.

Jockey Ricky Ramirez qualified Apocalyptical Jess and Flying Cowboy 123. He opted to ride Flying Cowboy 123. Tanner Thedford picks up the mount on Apocalyptical Jess.

Apocalyptical Jess drew the third post position while Flying Cowboy 123 starts from the seventh post position.

“They’re great,” Wood said of his two champions. “They are two great horses.

“Both are really good and do everything right. They could do nothing else and still would be better than 95 percent of the horses.”

The horses with the 10-fastest times qualified for the Ruidoso Derby and the trial participants with the next 10-fastest marks gained priority to race in the $100,000 Mr Jess Perry.

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The Mr Jess Perry has a strong lineup with La Feliz Montana Ranch, LLC’s Lethal Lil and Jose Soto’s Moonflash Numbers.

Lethal Lil finished third in the Grade 1, $1,878,000 Los Alamitos Two Million in December. She was then rested and returned to finish third behind Ruidoso Derby qualifiers Apocalyptical Jess and Cd Rowdy James in their Ruidoso Derby trial.

Jose Amador Alvarez rides Lethal Lil from the second post position.

Moonflash Numbers won his Ruidoso Derby trial by a neck as the 5-2 favorite. He qualified for last year’s All American Futurity and experienced a troubled trip.

Paul Osbaldo Garcia rides Moonflash Numbers with the seventh post position.

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The Belmont Stakes, the third leg of thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown, is expected to attract Preakness Stakes winner War of Will and Wood Memorial winner Tacitus.

Gary Barber’s War of Will experienced a troubled trip in the Kentucky Derby, however came back to show his class with a Preakness Stakes victory. He raced near the rail and burst through an opening in the stretch to win by one-and-one-quarter lengths.

If War Of Will wins the Belmont Stakes then he becomes only the 12th horse to win the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes

Juddmonte Farms’ homebred Tacitus was placed third through a disqualification in the Kentucky Derby and his connections passed on running in the Preakness Stakes. Before the Kentucky Derby, he won the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby and then the Grade 2 Wood Memorial.

There will be simulcast wagering on the entire Belmont program. Plus, there will be wagering open on Friday to bet on Saturday’s Belmont Stakes program.

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The first Dr Pepper Handicapping Challenge will be held on Saturday. Contestants pay $60 to enter and prizes of betting vouchers and cases of Dr Pepper will be awarded to the top-five finishers. The winner receives a $500 betting voucher and 15 cases of Dr Pepper.

Participants must sign up on Saturday before the fourth race at a table near the grandstand admission area. Five designated races, starting with the sixth race, must be wagered. Those races include the Ruidoso Derby, Belmont Stakes and the Mr Jess Perry.

CLICK HERE for complete rules.

Also on Saturday is the $500 Belmont Stakes Handicapping Drawing. Participants select who they think will be the winning horse in the Belmont Stakes. Then there will be a drawing from all the entrants who select the winner and that winning contestant receives $500.

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For the latest Ruidoso Downs information, go to www.raceruidoso.com, visit the Ruidoso Downs Race Track and Casino Facebook page and follow Ruidoso Downs on Twitter @RuidosoDowns and on Instagram.

For Ruidoso Downs racing news CLICK HERE.

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