Racing


Cd Mamas Boy Tops Zia Futurity Qualifiers, Frankie James Fastest In Zia Derby Trials
Cd Mamas Boy, under jockey Jose Ortiz, setting the fastest time for the $409,611 Zia Futurity Saturday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.

© Gay Harris / Ruidoso Downs
Cd Mamas Boy Tops Zia Futurity Qualifiers, Frankie James Fastest In Zia Derby Trials

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—JULY 14, 2018— Daniel Ramirez's Cd Mamas Boy impressed in the fifth of 11 trials to set the fastest qualifying time to the $409,611 Zia Futurity while Bella Valenzuela's Frankie James topped the five trials to the $190,937 Zia Derby on a rainy Saturday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.

All trials were contested over 400 yards for New Mexico-breds and the 10-fastest horses from each set of trials gained eligibility to race in their respective finals on July 29. The finals are part of the Zia Festival that celebrates New Mexico-bred racing and offers more than 60 vendors in the grandstand.

Each of the trials was run over an off track ranging from sloppy (sealed) to muddy (sealed.)

Zia QH Futurity Trials

Cd Mamas Boy stepped up after a maiden win to win his trial by a decisive one-half length over Too For Two's fourth-fastest qualifier Midnite Blu. Cd Mamas Boy was timed in :19.849 while Midnite Blu was clocked in :19.939. The track was sloppy (sealed).

A gelding by First Moonflash, Cd Mamas Boy and jockey Jose Ortiz started sharply from the inside post position and then drifted out several running lanes during the race. He easily held on for the win.

It was the third career start for Cd Mamas Boy. He was third in his Sunland Spring Futurity trial and then took a maiden race at Ruidoso Downs after being bumped at the start.

"Those races were good for him," trainer Juan Esquivel said. "He needed that maiden race. He's getting more mature with every race."

Midnite Blu was third in the $396,000 New Mexican Spring Futurity in his previous start. He is trained by Wes Giles and ridden by Adrian A. Ramos. The Giles-Ramos combination won four Zia Futurity trials.

The Giles-Ramos duo took an especially deep 11th and final trial with $346,000 Mountain Top Futurity winner Jess Fire Chick. The Jess A Chicks-sired filly was timed in :19.934 over a muddy (sealed) track for the second-fastest qualifying time.

There were four qualifiers coming out of the trial. Also qualifying were Regard The Sevens, June Bug Daddy and No Miras A La Luna.

Mike Abraham and Paul Blanchard's Jess Fire Chick remained perfect from three starts with the head trial victory. She won her Mountain Top Futurity trial by a stunning one-and-one-half lengths in her debut and then fought to a head win over Regard The Sevens in the Mountain Top Futurity.

For the unofficial list of Zia Futurity qualifiers and their times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys CLICK HERE.

Zia QH Derby Trials

Frankie James, a $16,000 Ruidoso New-Mexico Bred Yearling Sale purchase, scored a 27-1 upset in his second start off a layoff to win the last of five Zia Derby trials by one-half length with the top time of :19.827.

A gelding by Jesse James Jr, Frankie James impressed in last year's Mountain Top Futurity trials when he won by one-and-three-quarter lengths. He finished a troubled fifth in the Mountain Top Futurity.

Frankie James, under jockey Adrian Ramos, setting the fastest time for the Zia Derby(RG2) Saturday at Ruidoso Downs. © Gay Harris / Ruidoso Downs
"This is a big, big win," trainer Juan Carlos Gonzales said. "He gave us a big win in the Mountain Top trial, but was banged up. We gave him a lot of time off."

Frankie James came back a year later and finished sixth in a Ruidoso Downs' allowance. "He really needed that race and ran a good sixth," Gonzalez said.

That allowance race set him up for his Zia Derby trial upset victory.

The Giles-trained second-fastest qualifier Bigg Daddy, owned by Too For Two, was brilliant in his Zia Derby trial and is the probable Zia Derby favorite. He was making his first start since finishing second in the Grade 1, $3 million All American Futurity on Labor Day.

Starting from the third post position under G.R. Carter Jr., Bigg Daddy had his trial under control within the first few jumps out of the gate. The strapping gelding by Big Daddy Cartel won as he pleased in :19.837. He won by three quarters of a length and appeared able to increase that margin if asked.

"It was every bit as much fun as it looked," Carter said. "He won just like you want one to when they are coming back (off a layoff)."

Bigg Daddy, the 2-5 favorite, earned $661,418 with four wins from eight starts last year. Before his second-place run in the All American Futurity, he won the $371,000 Zia Futurity and was third in the $393,000 Mountain Top Futurity.

For the unofficial list of Zia Futurity qualifiers and their times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys CLICK HERE.

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