Ray Yeigh is expected to make his next start in the $1,884,225 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity(G1) in California on Sunday .

© William Zuazo

by Greg Thompson, StallioneSearch.com

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—DECEMBER 7, 2022—As the gates open to release the field to contest the $1,884,225 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity(G1) in California on Sunday,  second-fastest qualifier Ray Yeigh will carrying the hopes of not only the co-owners of this Favorite Cartel-gelding down the Orange County racecourse, but he will also carrying with him the memory of deceased horsemen Ray Yeigh.

Bred by Dr. Steve Burns of Burns Ranch in Menifee, California, the 2-year-old Favorite Cartel gelding carries the name in honor one of Burns' longtime friend, deceased horsemen Ray Yeigh.

Yeigh was a prominent horsemen, most prevalent throughout the southwest throughout his lengthy training career.  The defining career victory for Yeigh came in the 1986 Oklahoma Futurity(G3) with Strate And Easy at La Mesa Park in Raton, New Mexico.

Hall of Fame Thoroughbred trainer Bob Baffert has said in multiple interviews that Ray Yeigh was 'actually responsible for jump starting his training career, when he turned over his horses to Baffert in 1980 at Rillito Downs'.  The trainer won his very first stakes race as a trainer with a Ray Yeigh-owned gelding Jet Meyer.

Longtime horseman Ray Yeigh.
© Courtesy Puente & Sons Funeral Chapels

At the age of 69 and after leaving his imprint on the sport of Quarter Horse racing, Ray Yeigh passed away in April of 2017.

The gelding that bares his name will be going into the 2022 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity(G1) finals with the high-hopes of new co-owners, Shaun Hubbard and Ray Willis.  He was a $310,000 purchase of the 2021 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale and has gone on to be victorious in three-of-his-five career starts in 2022, including the win in his second-fastest qualifying effort for the Los Al Two Million Futurity(G1). 

Both co-owners Willis and Hubbard have been in contact with Yeigh's widow, Marlene, and have invited her to experience the chance of being at Los Alamitos on Sunday to watch her late husband's namesake attempt to notch a win in the prestigious Grade 1 futurity.

"I am just overwhelmed and so happy to be able to be going to California to watch Ray's namesake run in the futurity," said Marlene Yeigh. "Dr. Burns was a longtime friend of Ray's, and told me that he had been waiting to name a good one after him, and we just couldn't be more proud to see this horse with Ray's name doing so well. I feel so blessed to be able to go to Los Alamitos and cheer him on."

Twelve-trials for the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity(G1) were contested on Sunday November 20, at Los Alamitos Race Course in Los Alamitos, California. Trainer Chris O'Dell, the conditioner of Ray Yeigh, also is the trainer of the fastest-qualifier Cyber Attack going into the finals.  Reigning AQHA Champion jockey Francisco Calderon will have the riding assignment for Ray Yeigh in the finals.