Ask Her To Fly and jockey Ramiro Garcia post the fastest qualifying time on the opening day of trials for the Grade 1 Ruidoso Futurity Friday at The Downs at Albuquerque.

© Coady Media

By Emily Paulk, StallioneSearch

ALBUQUERQUE, NM–MAY 22, 2026– The road to the Grade 1, estimated $1,000,000 Ruidoso Futurity began Friday at The Downs at Albuquerque as 13 trial races were contested to determine the first five finalists for the prestigious juvenile event.

Thirteen additional trial races are scheduled for Saturday, with the five fastest qualifiers from each day advancing to the Ruidoso Futurity final. The second five fastest qualifiers from each day will receive preferred invitations to the $100,000 Ruidoso Juvenile Invitational.

Topping Friday’s qualifiers was Ask Her To Fly, who delivered a wire-to-wire performance in the sixth trial for owner and breeder Randy Geiselman. Trained by Jason Olmstead and ridden by Ramiro Garcia, the daughter of champion Flying Cowboy 123 stopped the clock in :17.120 seconds for a 101 speed index while battling a 7 mph headwind. She drew off by 1¼ lengths in the fastest qualifying effort of the day.

The Oklahoma-bred filly is out of the winning Teller Cartel mare A Delightful Legacy and now owns a 3-2-0-0 record with earnings of $22,475. Ask Her To Fly showed her class immediately after veering out at the start before quickly taking command and drawing clear late.

Second fastest qualifier Happy Flying Bird captured the 12th trial for owner MRB Racing LLC, trainer Manuel Rodolfo Rodriguez, and jockey Gabriel Medrano. The $65,000 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale graduate covered the 350 yards in :17.249 seconds, earning a 96 speed index while racing into an 8 mph headwind.

Happy Flying Bird and jockey Gabriel Medrano win the 12th trial Friday at The Downs at Albuquerque to post the second fastest qualifying time. © Coady Media

Bred by Jose Escobedo Hernandez, the gelding is another son of Flying Cowboy 123 and is out of the stakes placed Southern Cartel mare Southernrunaway, earner of $99,290. Happy Flying Bird is a half-brother to stakes winner Imma Southern Bell, who earned $98,645. Friday’s effort came in just his second career start.

Third fastest qualifier AJ Invictus Player finished a solid second behind Ask Her To Fly in the sixth trial. The $120,000 Heritage Place Yearling Sale graduate was bred by Rancho El Cabresto Inc. and is owned by MJR Investments Ltd.

Trained by Clinton Crawford and ridden by Jacob Enriquez, the colt recorded a time of :17.325 seconds with a 94 speed index while racing into the same 7 mph headwind as the top qualifier.

The son of world champion Apollitical Jess is out of the Corona Cartel mare Mischievous Player, a full sister to stakes winner Chaotic Cartel. AJ Invictus Player is also a half-brother to stakes placed and All American Futurity (G1) finalist DF Mischievous Jess, earner of $276,685. His female family traces back to champion FDD Dynasty, who banked $1,173,001 during his career.

FULL LIST OF FUTURITY QUALIFIERS HERE.

Leading the preferred qualifiers for the $100,000 Ruidoso Juvenile Invitational was Strawberry Cowgirl, who finished third behind the top two qualifiers in the sixth trial. Bred by Debra Laney, the filly is owned by Norman Allen and Scott Bryant, trained by Marc Jungers, and ridden by Francisco Calderon. She stopped the clock in :17.431 seconds for a 91 speed index while racing into a 7 mph headwind.

The daughter of champion Flying Cowboy 123 is out of the winning First Moonflash mare Flashninthefastlane, a graded stakes finalist. Friday’s effort marked just the second career start for the filly.

FULL LIST OF JUVENILE QUALIFIERS HERE.

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