Acrylic, under jockey Jacob Enriquez, posted the fastest qualifying time for the $365,139 Zia Futurity (RG1) at The Downs at Albuquerque Friday afternoon.

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By H. David Smith, StallioneSearch

ALBUQUERQUE, NM—JULY 3, 2026—Big Daddy Cartel put on a remarkable display of sire power Friday at The Downs at Albuquerque, accounting for the seven fastest qualifiers to the $365,139 Zia Futurity (RG1), which will be contested July 19 following 11 trials for accredited New Mexico-bred 2-year-olds at 400 yards.

The first seven berths in the lucrative restricted Grade 1 final were all earned by offspring of the New Mexico leading sire Big Daddy Cartel, underscoring the stallion's continued dominance of the state's premier juvenile program.

Fastest of all was Acrylic, who defeated Daddys China by one-half length in the fifth of 11 trials while stopping the clock in 19.363. Racing for Pierre Jean and Leslie A. Amestoy, the bay gelding by Big Daddy Cartel from the First Moonflash mare Paint Your Moon was bred in New Mexico by his owners and is trained by Clinton Crawford.

Jacob Enriquez had the riding assignment as Acrylic battled throughout before proving best in the stretch. The gelding was making his third career start after selling for $42,000 at the 2025 Ruidoso New Mexico-Bred Yearling Sale.

Second-fastest qualifier Daddys China finished a game runner-up to Acrylic after breaking out of the gate and dueling throughout before yielding late. The Big Daddy Cartel filly from Ima China Rush, by Rushago, covered the distance in 19.422 for owners Tungsten Racing Partnership and Fierro EJ Racing Stables, LLC.

Sand And Sea, under jockey Joseph Belloc, Jr., posted the third fastest time from the second trial Friday.
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One of five finalists bred by MJ Farms, she is conditioned by Omar Vargas and was ridden by Jose Enrique Ortiz. Daddy's China brought $42,000 at the 2025 Ruidoso, New Mexico, Bred Yearling Sale. She was a finalist to the Mountain Top NM Bred Futurity (RG2) last month.

Sand And Sea earned the third-fastest qualifying mark with an authoritative three-length victory in the second trial, stopping the timer in 19.450. The gray Big Daddy Cartel filly out of Ms Riptide, by Ocean Runaway, races for Denis and Julie Schoenhofer and Kim Middleton.

Bred by MJ Farms, she is trained by Rodolfo G. Valles and was ridden by Joseph Belloc Jr. Sand And Sea sold for $58,000 at the 2025 Ruidoso New Mexico-Bred Yearling Sale before turning in one of the day's most impressive performances. She finished third in the Mountain Top NM Bred Futurity(RG2) in her last start and has banked $38,752 in three starts.

Mountain Top NM Bred Futurity winner Baby Daddy Cartel posted the fifth fastest clocking in the closing trial.
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Joining the top three in the Zia Futurity field are Miss Desirio 16 (19.508), Baby Daddy Cartel (19.568), Shafer (19.582), and Bigg Twist (19.598), giving Big Daddy Cartel a clean sweep of the seven fastest qualifying positions.

Fifth-fastest qualifier, Tungsten Racing Partnership's Baby Daddy Cartel has won three of four career starts, including the Mountain Top NM Bred Futurity (RG2) and the New Mexican Spring Fling Stakes. Bred by Paul Cervantes and trained by Omar Vargas, the gelding has earned $183,869. Noe Garcia, Jr. has the riding call.

CLICK HERE for a complete list of Zia Futurity finalists with times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers, and jockeys.

The second 10 fastest qualifiers from Friday's trials will return for the $50,000 Zia Juvenile, also scheduled for July 19. For a list of those horses, CLICK HERE.

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