RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—JUNE 23, 2019—Paragon Farms, LLC’s always dangerous Tough To Bee in the Grade 2, $50,000 Higheasterjet Handicap and the hot Valiant Tiberias in the $53,106 Adequan Ruidoso Derby Challenge (see related story) combine for an enticing stakes doubleheader at Ruidoso Downs on Saturday afternoon.

The 350-yard Higheasterjet Handicap runs as the ninth race while the 400-yard Adequan Ruidoso Derby Challenge is the eighth race.

It is Red Raider Weekend at Ruidoso Downs. Lubbock-based entertainers The Dirty River Boys with special guest Kody West perform Saturday on the racetrack at 7 p.m. Also, the Texas Tech Masked Rider appears during the racing program that begins at 1 p.m.

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

Tough To Bee faces a deep field and comes off a pair of creditable efforts against Grade 1 company at Remington Park. The five-year-old son of leading sire Apollitical Jess finished in a dead heat for second in the Grade 1, $106,000 Leo Stakes and then was third in the Grade 1, $255,680 Remington Park Championship behind Political Attraction, the Remington Park horse of the meet and the second-ranked horse in the American Quarter Horse Association national poll.

The Trey Wood-trained Tough To Bee has succeeded at the highest level during each of his four years of competition. He was a close third in the 2016 Ruidoso Futurity, finished in a dead heat for the win in the 2017 Ruidoso Derby and was second in last year’s Higheasterjet Handicap.

“He’s honest and likes to run,” jockey Ricky Rameriz, who has ridden Tough To Bee 19 times, said. “He’s a fun horse to ride and gives 100 percent. He’s doing really well.”

Ramirez and Tough To Bee start from the sixth post position in the 10-horse field.

Tough To Bee’s rivals include this year’s West Texas Maturity winner Jacky Martin 21, this year’s La Plata Stakes winner Rarin and 2017 Ruidoso Futurity dead-heat winner Uptown Dynasty.

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