RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—MAY 12, 2019— The trials to the John Deere Ruidoso Juvenile Challenge on Friday and the simulcast of the $1.5-million Preakness Stakes on Saturday stand out this racing weekend at Ruidoso Downs.

There will be a $500 Preakness contest on Saturday. The winner will be drawn from the people who select the Preakness winner.

Ruidoso Downs racing runs Friday through Sunday with a 1 p.m. first post time.

The horses with the 10-fastest times from the three 350-yard John Deere Ruidoso Juvenile Challenge trials earn a starting spot in the Grade 3, $25,000 (est.) John Deere Juvenile Challenge finals on June 2. The winner of the John Deere Ruidoso Juvenile Challenge is invited to compete in the Grade 2, $125,000 John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship.

The John Deere Ruidoso Juvenile Challenge trials run as the first three races on the 10-race program.

The first trial is highlighted Rrelentless Partners' Rrelentless. The son of Hes Relentless qualified for the Grade 1, $396,650 Oklahoma Futurity at Remington Park.

The Gregg Sanders-trained colt came back in a Remington Park maiden race and battled to a head victory in :15.613 for 300 yards.

"He's a good bodied horse," Sanders said. "We paid $9,500 for him at Heritage Place to run in the Oklahoma Futurity. He false broke in the finals and still finished sixth."

Jesus Olivas rides Rrelentless with the fourth post position.

The second trial is a wide-open race with Pipers Return making his debut.

Owned by trainer Marc Jungers with Michelle Jungers and Aureliano Aranda, Pipers Return posted the fastest 220-yard work from 25 horses on April 17 at Sam Houston Race Park and then came to Ruidoso Downs and won her training race on May 2.

Pipers Return, a daughter of High Rate of Return, drew the fourth post position and Lucas Constantin is the jockey.

The third trial features a pair of winners, Will B Valiant and One Zoomin Hero.

The G.R. Carter Jr. and Shaena Carter-owned Will B Valiant won his Remington Park Futurity trial by one-and-one-quarter lengths in his debut. The Mighty B Valiant-sired gelding then finished fifth in the $100,000 Remington Park Juvenile.

Trainer Clint Crawford will have Ricky Ramirez, who was up for the trial win, aboard Will B Valiant when they start from the fourth post position.

The Sanders-trained One Zoomin Hero starts next to Will B Valiant in the fifth post position. Olivas is the rider.

One Zoomin Hero reached the winner's circle in his third and most recent start when he took a Remington Park maiden race by three quarters of a length.

A gelding by One Valiant Hero, One Zoomin Hero is owned by Sanders, Martin Riley and breeder Michael Samples.

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The 144th running of the Preakness Stakes from Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore is expected to attract Winstar Farm and China Horse Club's Improbable and Gary Barber's War of Will. The Preakness is contested by three-year-olds and is the second leg of the Triple Crown.

Improbable and War of Will each competed in the Kentucky Derby and were moved up in the order of finish after the disqualification of Maximum Security, who crossed the finish line in first position and then placed in 17th position for interference.

Improbable finished the Kentucky Derby in fifth place and was moved up to the fourth position. War of Will crossed the finish line in eighth place and was awarded seventh place.

Improbable could give trainer Bob Baffert his record eighth Preakness victory.

A son of City Zip, Improbable was undefeated from three starts last year. His flawless season concluded with wins in the $100,000 Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs and then the Grade 1, $300,000 Los Alamitos Futurity at Los Alamitos Race Course.

Improbable had two seconds from two starts this year, each at Oaklawn Park, before the Kentucky Derby. He was second by a nose in a division of the Grade 2, $750,000 Rebel Stakes and then second to the highly regarded Omaha Beach in the Grade 1, $1-million Arkansas Derby.

New Mexico native Mike Smith has been named by Baffert to ride Improbable for the first time in the Preakness Stakes.

War Of Will, trained by Mark Casse, won two of his three 2019 starts, each at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, before the Kentucky Derby. The son of War Front won the Grade 3, $200,000 Lecomte Stakes and returned to win the Grade 2, $400,000 Risen Star Stakes.

Sunday is Family Day with one-dollar hot dogs, popcorn and soda. Kids may also race out of the starting gate on the racetrack.

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