RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—AUGUST 29, 2016—Nueve Racing’s Apolltical Chad, winner of the Grade 1, $1-million Ruidoso Futurity, brings that stakes-winning experience into the Grade 1, $3-million All American Futurity during a stakes dominated program on Monday at Ruidoso Downs.

The Labor Day program is the final racing day of the summer season. There is a special 12:30 p.m. first post time on Monday.

There is always free parking and free general admission at Ruidoso Downs.

The entertaining Labor Day program also offers the $500,000 All American Juvenile for quarter horses. The thoroughbred stakes are the $152,974 Rio Grande Senor Thoroughbred Futurity and the $50,000 Ruidoso New Mexico-bred Thoroughbred Championship.

Apolltical Chad, a gelding by Apollitical Jess, is owned by a group of nine people from six different states and they have a total of 203 years of experience in horse racing. Their horse moved to the forefront of the two-year-old division when he stepped up and won the Grade 1, $1-million Ruidoso Futurity by a gutty head over A Revenant, who went on to win the Grade 1, $1-million Rainbow Futurity.

Trainer Wes Giles and Apolltical Chad’s owners decided to pass on the Rainbow Futurity trials and concentrate on the All American Futurity, which offers the largest purse of two-year-old race in the world.

That decision paid off when Apolltical Chad made a late run and barely missed winning his All American Futurity trial. One Hot Habit got the qualifying win in :21.643 for the 440 yards while Apolltical Chad was timed in :21.643 and earned spot in the futurity.

There were two days of All American Futurity trials. Imperial Eagle set the fastest-qualifying time in the first day of trials while Coronas First Diva grabbed the top-qualifying time during the second day of trials.

Charles Robinson’s Imperial Eagle, one of four horses in the All American Futurity sired by One Famous Eagle, scored his third-consecutive win when he took his All American Futurity trial by one-and-three-quarter lengths in :21.499.

The Tony Sedillo-trained Imperial Eagle was moved up to second place in the West Texas Futurity before starting his current winning streak.

Sara Leann Morgan’s Coronas First Diva, a filly by Corona Cartel, topped the second-day qualifiers with a :21.500 time while winning her trial by one-and-three-quarter lengths.

Coronas First Diva has proven stakes class with a win in the $440,000 Oklahoma Futurity and then a fifth-place run in the Grade 1, $1,083,000 Heritage Place Futurity for trainer Charles “Duke” Shults.

One of the two-year-olds creating a lot of “buzz” at Ruidoso Downs is Beth and Michael Harper’s The Marfa Lights, an elegantly bred son of One Famous Eagle that was purchased for $145,000 at the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale.

The Marfa Lights made his third start in the All American Futurity trials. He boldly accelerated in the final 100 yards to win his trial by two-and-three-quarter lengths with a time of :21.510. He is improving with every start and the big, strong colt relishes the quarter-mile distance.

The $500,000 Ruidoso Juvenile had a purse increase from $200,000 last year and it attracted an excellent field of two-year-olds that did not qualify for the All American Futurity.

The Juan Medina-owned and -bred Teller Baja won her first four starts before finishing a close second behind Volcoms Lady in their All American Futurity trial. The Teller Cartel-sired Teller Baja won the $888,000 Remington Park Oklahoma-bred Futurity during her career-opening winning streak.

Trainer Judd Kearl will have Jose Amador Alvarez aboard with the eighth post position.

Paragon Farms, LLC’s Tough To Bee was in the battle to win the Ruidoso Futurity, however came up a neck short and finished third. The Blane Wood-trained gelding won his All American Futurity trial by three quarters of a length.

Ricky Ramirez has the mount on Tough To Bee with the third post position.

Volcoms Lady is a daughter of All American Futurity sire Volcom.

The two thoroughbred stakes have a real opportunity to be won by full brothers. Another Brother, in the five-and-one-half furlong Senor Futurity, and Thermal, in the six-furlong Ruidoso Thoroughbred Championship, are each sired by Attila’s Storm and out of Hang Glide. Each horse is owned by R.D. Hubbard and trained by Todd Fincher.

Another Brother, the 1-9 favorite in his Senor Futurity trial, lived up to those odds. He made a three-wide move on the turn and then drew out to win by four lengths under Glen Murphy.

Murphy retains the mount and they have the sixth post position.

Thermal has earned $453,332 and is a proven stakes competitor against New Mexico-breds. In his previous race, the $50,000 Sierra Blanca Handicap, the gelding made a big move to finish second.

Alfredo Juarez Jr. rides Thermal from the sixth post position.

Tony Sedillo and Leroy Martinez’s D E Lover got the win in the Sierra Blanca and is back in the Ruidoso Thoroughbred Championship. The gelding was in a striking position and then kicked clear to win by one-and-one-half lengths as the favorite.

D E Lover will be ridden by Christian Santiago Reyes with the fourth post position.

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