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Zia Derby Trials Set for Saturday at Ruidoso Downs
Multiple stakes winner Bella De Ball will head four trials for the Zia Derby (RG2) trials at Ruidoso Downs Saturday.

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Zia Derby Trials Set for Saturday at Ruidoso Downs

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM–JULY 4, 2024–Thirty-five New Mexico-bred 3-year-old Quarter Horses are entered in Saturday’s 400-yard Zia Derby (RG2) trials at Ruidoso Downs.

The 10 fastest qualifiers from Saturday’s four heats will meet in the $175,000-est. Zia Derby on July 20.

MJ Farms’ Bella De Ball drew post 4 and will be ridden by Adrian Ramos for trainer Wes Giles in the fourth trial. A homebred daughter of Eye Am King, the sorrel filly is coming off of a second-place finish in a 350-yard Mountain Top Derby (R) trial on June 1; however, she ended her 2-year-old campaign with a three-race win streak that included victories in the 400-yard, $50,000 Zia Juvenile Stakes (R) at Ruidoso Downs, and the 400-yard, $1.209-million New Mexico State Fair Futurity (RG2) at Ruidoso Downs.

Other prominent state-bred sophomores entered in Saturday’s trials include Bad King, a graded stakes placed son of Eye Am King trained by James Gonzales III for owners Nove Racing LLC, Triple R Racing Stables LLC, Antoinette Gonzales and Patricio Venzor. Bad King has earned $251,734 from six races — all in New Mexico — and his 2-year-old resume included a second-place finish, a neck behind Bella De Ball, in the New Mexico State Fair Futurity.

Bad King was a $65,000 yearling purchase at last year’s New Mexico-Bred Sale at Ruidoso Downs. The gelding drew post 9 and will be ridden by Francisco Calderon in the second heat.

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