Two-time Graded Stakes winner Political Twist will kick off trials for the $3 million All American Futurity(G1) at The Downs in Albuquerque in Race 1 of Day 1 trials on Monday.

© Coady Media

By H. David Smith, StallioneSearch

ALBUQUERQUE, NM–AUGUST 2, 2025–Day 1 of the $3 million All American Futurity (G1) trials kicks off Monday, August 4, at Albuquerque Downs, with post time for the first race set for 11:00 a.m. (MDT).

The All American Futurity is the richest race in Quarter Horse racing, and its trials are the most anticipated of the year, drawing elite two-year-olds and the sport’s top connections.

The five fastest qualifiers from today’s card will join the five fastest from the Tuesday, August 5, trials (Day 2) to return for the Grade 1 $3.5 million All American Futurity final on Labor Day.

Traditionally held at Ruidoso Downs in Ruidoso Downs, New Mexico, the event was relocated to Albuquerque after severe flooding last month forced Ruidoso Downs to close for the season.

Among the leading contenders is Political Twist (Race 1, Post 8), an unbeaten gelding by leading sire Apollitical Jess out of C Twister Seis. Owned by La Feliz Montana Ranch LLC & Ray Willis and trained by Xavier E. Rodriguez, Political Twist enters with a perfect 4-for-4 record, $603,017 in earnings, and is the 5-2 morning-line favorite.

Bred in New Mexico by MJ Farms and a $150,000 Ruidoso Select Sale graduate, he will be ridden by Luis Martinez as he looks to extend his dominance following a decisive $1,000,000 Ruidoso Futurity (G1) victory. Also, the Grade 2 $365,000 West Texas Futurity winner in April, his connections opted to skip the Rainbow Futurity trials and concentrate on the All American.

Another highly regarded runner is Russ Gus (Race 3, Post 7), a sorrel gelding by Apollitical Jess out of Rocket Seis owned by Daniel G. Miranda. The Mark & Fay Annett McCloy homebred has compiled a 3-2-1-0 record with $192,000 in earnings and is listed at 5-2 on the morning line.

Trained by Xavier Rodriguez and ridden by Luis Martinez, Russ Gus was second to Political Twist in the Ruidoso Futurity(G1) and will look to secure his own trip to the All American finals. He is a $160,000 Heritage Place Yearling Sale graduate.

Cowboy 1 (Race 3, Post 9) adds intrigue to the early trials. The bay colt by leading third-crop sire Flying Cowboy 123 out of Kylie Joy, owned by AA Farms, LLC, has two starts and two wins, including the $100,000 Ruidoso QH Juvenile in his last start. Trainer Eric Valenzuela will give a leg up to jockey Sergio Becerra, Jr., with the lightly raced juvenile listed at 9-1 on the morning line.

In Race 4, Accelerated (Post 1), a high-profile $850,000 Los Alamitos Equine Sale colt by Favorite Cartel out of champion Remember Me Rose, will attempt to continue his winning ways.

Owned by Gamaliel Garza Garcia, trained by James Gonzales III, and ridden by Christian Cardenas, Accelerated boasts a 3-2-0-0 record, $47,870 in earnings, and 5-2 morning-line odds. A dual winner at Los Alamitos, his only loss came in the Grade 1 $1,040,000 Ed Burke Million Futurity in his last start.  He will break from the rail in his trial heat.

Other prominent Day 1 contenders include Cyber Command III (Race 5, Post 8), a promising juvenile gelding by first-crop sire Cyber Monday with $72,586 in earnings for breeder-owner Rudy Rudolfo I. Munoz, trained by Saul Ramirez, Jr. and ridden by Bryan Candanosa; King Of The Tide (Race 7, Post 5), runner-up in the $346,000 Mountain Top QH Futurity(RG2) for E. Gene Bradley, Tod Bradley and Ware Brown, trained by S. Trey Wood and ridden by Ricky Ramirez; and Jess Cartel Blue (Race 8, Post 1), a Pete A. Scarmardo homebred colt by Jess Louisiana Blue, trained by John Stinebaugh with jockey Ali Rivera aboard.

Later trials on Monday feature several horses with the potential to upset the established stars. Illegal Cowgirl 123 (Race 9, Post 9), a Tom Maher filly by Flying Cowboy 123, enters with two wins, one second, and $84,500 in earnings for trainer Jason Olmstead and jockey R. Garcia. Last April, the $43,000 Heritage Place graduate was second in the Remington Park Oklahoma-Bred Futurity(RG1).

Mm Rampage (Race 10, Post 5), a bay colt by FDD Dynasty owned and bred by Mark McCloy and Fay Annette McCloy, has a 2-1-0-0 record and will be piloted by Ruben Castro for trainer S. Trey Wood. He was also a finalist in the Remington Park Oklahoma-Bred Futurity(RG1).

The late trials include Ajs Secret Cash (Race 14, Post 7), a Two The Line owned gelding by Hez Our Secret with $72,542 in earnings, to be ridden by Ramiro Garcia for trainer Jason Olmstead, and Vyper (Race 15, Post 10), a Favorite Cartel colt out of Zenergy for Licon Farm and Ranch LLC, trained by Luis Rojero with jockey Jacob Enriquez aboard.

Rounding out the highlights are the Race 16 entries: Effortless Favorite (Post 3), a Favorite Cartel gelding bred by Wallace Johnson, owned by Tom Maher, Richard L. Tobin and Bill Maher and trained by Jason Olmstead with Francisco Ramirez, Jr. in the irons.

Winner of the Grade 1 $1,161,000 Heritage Place Futurity two races back, Effortless Favorite has earned $365,138.

Flying Joy 1 Trey (Post 4), a homebred filly by Flying Cowboy 123 for David R. Rogers, trained by S. Wood and ridden by Ricky Ramirez. She won the Grade 2 $420,000 Oklahoma Futurity and was a finalist in the Remington Park Oklahoma-Bred Futurity(RG2). Flying Joy 1has banked $228,834 in five starts.

Both will look to deliver strong late-day performances in their 440-yard trials.

The opening day of All American Futurity trials promises a showcase of speed, pedigree, and rising stars. With the five fastest qualifiers advancing to the prestigious finals, every stride at Albuquerque Downs will carry the weight of $3.5 million in futurity glory.

Be sure to check back late Monday for a complete list of the five Day 1 qualifiers, including times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers, and jockeys, available in the "Qualifiers" section on StallioneSearch.com.

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