AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION—MAY 31, 2018—Opening weekend at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico featured 32 trials for the $1 million Ruidoso Futurity (G1) and 10 for the $759,000 Ruidoso Derby (G1), and the results caused some movement in both AQHA Racing National Polls.

In the rankings for older horses, Jessies First Down, winner of the Leo Stakes (G1) at Remington Park in his only start this year, maintained the No. 1 spot, but KVN Corona jumped from No. 4 to No. 2 after taking his Ruidoso Derby trial and extending his perfect record to nine-for-nine. Uptown Dynasty, winner of last year’s Ruidoso Futurity in a dead heat, made his 3-year-old debut with the fastest qualifying time in his Ruidoso Derby trial and entered the poll at No. 8.

Among the 2-year-olds, Lynnder 16 remained in the top spot after winning her Ruidoso Futurity trial. The winner of the Remington Park Futurity (RG2) just missed making the final but did qualify to the Ruidoso Juvenile Invitational.

Flash And Roll, a daughter of First Moonflash who made her racing debut with the quickest time during the two days of Ruidoso Futurity trials, jumped into the poll in a tie for the No. 9 spot.

More changes figure to be in store for next week’s polls as Remington Park’s closing weekend of racing includes a slew of graded stakes highlighted by the Heritage Place Futurity (G1), Remington Park Invitational Championship (G1) and Heritage Place Derby (G2).

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND OLDER

1. JESSIES FIRST DOWN (80)
2. KVN CORONA (68)
3. BH LISAS BOY (67)
4. HOLD AIR HOSTAGE (64)
5. BRUCE ALLMTY (50)
6. DF AJ GREEN LEAVES (29)
7. JESS MY KISS (26)
8. UPTOWN DYNASTY (23)
9. IMPERIAL EAGLE (21)
10. KIDDY UP COWGIRL (13)

JESS BEIN THE HERO (12), WAGON ON FIRE V (10), ZOOMIN FOR SPUDS (10), LA VENCEDORA (8), A POLITICAL LADY (5), EAGLE JAZZ (3), POLITICAL ATTRACTION (2), PYC FUN N FANCY (2), VALIANT ROGUE (2).

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS

1. LYNNDER 16 (86)
2. LONG WAGON HO (75)
3. SUZE RETURNS (69)
4. WICKED AFFAIR (63)
5. ZEE JAMES (51)
6. GUIDRY PRIDE II (36)
7. JESS LET IT B (34)
8. SHAKESHAKESHAKEIT (15)
9. (tie) FLASH AND ROLL (10)
9. (tie) REGGIES BAILBOND (10)

SAUL (7), VF JEDI RETURNS (6), BLUE CORAZON (5), FLYING EAGLE 07 (5), SC MONEY MAKER (5), CORONA SQUARED (4), JEANIOLOGI (3), JS HISTORY LESSON (3), SARATOGA RETURN (2), SASSY KRYSTAL (2), MARY JANES HERO (1), TEMPTINGSECRETFLY (1), WOODYS COPY CAT (1).

The integrity of American Quarter Horse racing is of utmost importance to AQHA. As part of a multifaceted effort to ensure integrity, AQHA has instituted a policy concerning awards and publicity that makes horses with racing medication positives and horses trained by trainers with racing medication positives ineligible for the AQHA Racing National Polls. CLICK HERE to read the complete policy.

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