Ruidoso QH Futurity(G1) winner Hezgothelook Z will make his next step toward the Ruidoso Triple Crown in this week’s 400-yard Rainbow Futurity (G1) trials at Ruidoso Downs.

© StallioneSearch.com

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM–JUNE 23, 2024–Triple One Ranch’s Hezgothelook Z, a Grade 1-winning son of Favorite Cartel trained by Toby Keeton, will make his next start in this week’s 400-yard Rainbow Futurity (G1) trials at Ruidoso Downs.

A total of 34 trials will be contested Friday and Saturday, 17 each day. Post time is set for 11 a.m. (MDT) each day. The five fastest qualifiers from each day of trials will meet in the July 14, $1-million Rainbow Futurity final.

A $70,000 purchase at last year’s Heritage Place Yearling Sale in Oklahoma City, Hezgothelook Z has earned $426,300 from three races in Texas and New Mexico, and he will be stretching out in distance off of his three-quarter length victory in the 350-yard, $1-million Ruidoso Futurity (G1) on June 9.

Hezgothelook Z drew post 5 and will be ridden by Bryan Candanosa in Saturday’s 11th trial.

Other prominent 2-year-olds entered in Saturday’s trials include Xpress Lane, a gelded son of champion Foose trained by Trey Wood for owners Gene Bradley, Tod Bradley, and Garland Brown. Xpress Lane won one of his two starts at Remington Park and finished second, three-quarters of a length behind winner Joose Boxx, in the 300-yard, $502,000 Oklahoma Futurity (G2) on March 23.

Xpress Lane drew post 7 and will be ridden by Ruben Castro in Saturday’s fifth heat.

Aguila Rapida and Space Cowwboyy are among the noteworthy juveniles entered in Friday’s trials. A homebred son of champion Tempting Dash owned by Simmons Racing and trained by Toby Keeton, Aguila Rapida is coming off of a second-place finish to Hezgothelook Z in the Ruidoso Futurity.

Aguila Rapida drew post 7 and will be ridden by Bryan Candanosa in Friday’s 12th heat.

Space Cowwboyy is a stakes-winning Corona Cartel gelding trained by Juventino Ruiz for owners Scott Branson and Jimmy Vasquez. A $55,000 buy at last year’s Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale, Space Cowwboyy has banked $55,939 from six outs -- all in New Mexico -- and he broke his maiden with a half-length victory in the 350-yard, $100,000 Ruidoso Juvenile Invitational Stakes on June 9.

Space Cowwboyy drew post 10 and will be ridden by Luis Martinez in Friday’s second trial.

All Ruidoso Downs races can be seen at Q-Racing Video.com.