RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—MAY 21, 2018—The big three — consisting of champion KVN Corona, champion Eagle Jazz and All American Futurity winner Fly Baby Fly — lead the 91 three-year-olds entered in the deep full program of 10 trials to the Grade 1, $759,000 Ruidoso Derby on Sunday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.

First post time is 1 p.m. There is always free parking and free general admission at Ruidoso Downs.

On Sunday evening, the legendary Red Steagall performs in the horse sale arena at 7 p.m. Telephone for tickets or reservations at 575-378-4140. He will also perform a salute to the flag on Monday, Memorial Day.

KVN Corona, Eagle Jazz and Fly Baby Fly all showing up for the Ruidoso Derby trials could be a prelude to exceptional derby competition throughout the meet. The Grade 1, $750,000 (est.) Rainbow Derby is on July 21 and the Grade 1, $1 million (est.) All American Derby will be contested on September 2.

On Sunday, the horses with the 10-fastest times qualify to compete in the Ruidoso Derby on June 9. The horses with the next 10-fastest times will be preferred to race in the $100,000 Mr Jess Perry on the same day.

Keith Nellesen’s KVN Corona will be making his Ruidoso Downs debut in the trials after winning all eight of his starts, each at Los Alamitos Race Course, and being honored as the 2017 champion two-year-old colt.

"First, we brought him to Ruidoso because I wanted to support the new ownership," said Nellesen. "Second, there was nothing else for him during the summer. He’s not a Cal-bred."

KVN Corona earned his championship with wins in the Grade 1, $960,000 Ed Burke Memorial Futurity and the Grade 2, $382,000 PCQHRA Breeders’ Futurity.

A son of Corona Cartel, KVN Corona has made two starts at Los Alamitos this year and he has come back to the winner’s circle after each race. He won his trial to the Grade 3, $235,200 El Primero Del Ano Derby and returned to win the 400-yard finals by one-half length.

A full brother to Grade 1, $767,750 Los Alamitos Super Derby winner Big Lew, KVN Corona was a $30,000 supplemental nominee to enter the Ruidoso Derby trials.

This is not KVN Corona’s first trip to Ruidoso. He was offered in the Ruidoso Super Select Yearling Sale by breeder McColee Land and Livestock LLC, which Nellesen owns with Lance Robinson. The name McColee is a reference to Nellesen’s childrens’ names.

"I really liked the horse," said Nellesen. "I wanted to get the colt. His mother died in 2016 and KVN Corona is the last Corona Cartel out of her. My budget was for $150,000 and I got him for $140,000, so I only had one more bid left.

"He’s great and a lot of fun. He’s possibly a once-in-a-lifetime horse. He’s a cool horse.

"He’s a really smart horse and does not panic. He always runs his race."

KVN Corona starts from the third post position in the fifth trial with regular rider Jesus Rios Ayala aboard.

Juan Medina’s homebred Eagle Jazz and Fly Baby Fly Partnership’s Fly Baby Fly are each making their first appearances since last summer at Ruidoso Downs.

Eagle Jazz was sensational at Ruidoso Downs on his way to the 2017 champion two-year-old gelding title. After a close second-place finish in the Remington Park Oklahoma-bred Futurity, he came to Ruidoso Downs and was a force.

In the Grade 1, $1 million Ruidoso Futurity, Eagle Jazz finished in a dead heat for the win with Uptown Dynasty. Eagle Jazz stumbled at the start and then rallied to finish on equal terms.

After dominating his Rainbow Futurity trial, the gelding by One Dashing Eagle stepped up to win the Grade 1, $1 million Rainbow Futurity by three quarters of a length over Uptown Dynasty.

Eagle Jazz made his final 2017 start in his All American Futurity trial when he rolled to a four-and-one-half length, however his time did not hold up as a qualifying time.

Cipriano Uscanga Vidana rides Eagle Jazz for the first time when he makes his first start for trainer Wes Giles.

Eagle Jazz drew the sixth post position in the eighth trial.

Fly Baby Fly, a daughter of One Famous Eagle and champion Higher Fire, sold for $180,000 in the Ruidoso Super Select Yearling Sale and that proved to be a bargain.

The Trey Ellis-trained filly showed promise with her fourth-place run in the Rainbow Futurity and surpassed that promise in the Grade 1, $3 million All American Futurity. She made a stunning charge in the last half of the 440-yard race to win by an expanding one-and-one-half lengths. That win pushed her earnings to $1,585,200.

Eric Pineda’s Everybuddys Talkin, a $6,000 Ruidoso New Mexico-Bred Sale purchase, is the other $30,000 supplement to the Ruidoso Derby trials. The New Mexico-bred daughter of Gonna Ro Sham Bo defeated state-breds in the $206,853 Shue Fly Stakes and defeated New Mexico-bred fillies in the $85,000 Sunburst Stakes.

Regular rider Raul Herrera rides Everybuddys Talkin for trainer Ricardo Armendariz. The filly has the fifth post position in the fourth trial.

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