RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—JUNE 11, 2019—Adam Smith's fastest-qualifier Big Edge along with Mark and Annette McCloy's co-second-fastest qualifier Mister Riptide give the hot Trey Wood stable a strong duo in the $404,000 Mountain Top Futurity for New Mexico-breds on Saturday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.

First post time is 1 p.m. and the 350-yard Mountain Top Futurity runs as the ninth race on the 10-race program.

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

Big Edge, a gelding by Big Daddy Cartel, made his career debut in the Mountain Top Futurity trials and showed he could be a horse who can compete at the highest level of state-bred and open competition. The gelding destroyed his rivals with a three-and-one-quarter-length score and his time of :17.668 for the 350 yards was the fastest-qualifying mark.

Jockey Ricky Ramirez rode Big Edge and Mister Riptide to their trial wins and decided to ride Big Edge.

"He just ran faster in his trial and ran a little green, so I see room for improvement," Ramirez said of his decision. "He can compete with open horses. He's got a lot of upside."

Big Edge drew the eighth post position.

Mister Riptide starts next to Big Edge from the ninth post position and Tanner Thedford picks up the mount.

A gelding by Woodbridge, Mister Riptide also made an eye-catching career debut in the trials. He drew out to a one-and-one-half length win and his time of :17.703 equaled the second-fastest qualifying time with Amethyst.

MRB Racing, LLC's homebred Amethyst was a three-quarter-length trial winner in her second career start. The A Royal Jess daughter made one start before the Mountain Top trials and finished third in her New Mexico Spring Futurity trial at Sunland Park.

Amethyst starts from the fifth post position and Raul Herrera has the mount.

Rex Wells' Colby James brings solid stakes credentials into the Mountain Top Futurity. The Jesse James Jr-sired gelding was second by a neck in the $393,483 New Mexican Spring Futurity as the favorite.

Colby James won his Mountain Top Futurity trial by one-and-one-quarter lengths and recorded the fourth-fastest qualifying time of :17.729.

Alan Hernandez rides Colby James for trainer Rudy Valles with the outside post position in the 10-horse field.

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