Triple 7 (#2), ridden by Joseph Belloc Jr., noses out Ivorys Patriot (#1) at the wire to win the $60,000 New Mexico Classic Quarter Horse Juvenile on Sunday at Zia Park.

© Coady Media

By Leann Noguera, StallioneSearch

HOBBS, NM–NOVEMBER 23, 2025–The $60,000 New Mexico Classic Quarter Horse Juvenile kicked off a crowded six-stakes program for New Mexico breds on Sunday at Zia Park, and the opener did not disappoint. Triple 7, who was the tenth fastest qualifier in the Juvenile trials, made his determined late rally win an even more exciting upset.

The finish came down to a razor-tight photo between the two inside runners, Triple 7 (#2) and Ivorys Patriot (#1), with Triple 7 getting the final nod by a nose. Angels In The Clouds was right there with them, settling for third only a neck behind the runner-up.

Triple 7 chose the perfect moment to shed his maiden, earning his first black type status. The bay gelding by Big Daddy Cartel stopped the clock in :17.820 for an 82 speed index while battling into a stiff 13 mph headwind.

The winning connections of Triple 7 accept the NM Classic QH Juvenile trophy at Zia Park on Sunday. © Coady Media

He uncorked a determined late rally to run down Ivorys Patriot in the final strides, rewarding his backers with a $29.20 upset at 13-1 odds. The win delivered $36,000 to his owner Nove Racing LLC.

Bred in New Mexico by MJ Farms, Triple 7 is out of the First Down Dash mare Curlie Cue. Trained by James Gonzales III and ridden by Joseph Belloc Jr., the 2024 Ruidoso New Mexico-bred Sale graduate ($28,000) now has $38,160 in earnings from five starts.

Ivorys Patriot set the tempo from the break and held the advantage into the final stretch. The Jet Black Patriot filly, bred by Mike Abraham and Grant Farms, refused to yield until the final jump. Out of Special Dark Ivory by Ivory James, Ivorys Patriot races for Orona Racing LLC and is trained by Jorge Morales-Flores with Jesse Levario aboard.

The runner-up finish earned her $12,000 and marked her first black-type effort, adding to a season that included a spot in the New Mexico Breeders Futurity (G2). Ivorys Patriot now has 7-1-3-1 and $44,393 in total earnings.

Angels In The Clouds, bumped at the start but undeterred, made a steady run to secure third. The Jet Black Patriot gelding, bred and owned by Joel Gutierrez, is out of Clouds N Rainbows by Feature Mr Jess.

He is trained by Gutierrez and was ridden by Brian Barraza. His $6,000 share of the purse pushed his total to $52,172 and he also earned his first black type status with the third-place finish and was a finalist in the New Mexico Breeders Futurity (G2) earlier this season.

The remaining order of finish was Flashy Big Daddy in fourth, Tintero fifth, Black And Sassie sixth, Daddys Passion seventh, Jess a Flashy Girl eighth, and Majick Hero ninth.

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