Governor’s Cup Futurity winning jockey Ricardo Ramirez was the overall leading rider at Los Alamitos during the 2024.

© William Zuazo

LOS ALAMITOS, CA–JANUARY 21, 2025–Ricardo Ramirez was the overall leading rider at Los Alamitos during the 2024 racing season. Best known for his success in distance races, Ramirez won 94 races from his 456 total mounts.

From a large sample figure, Ramirez maintained winning consistency, as he reached the winner’s circle with over 20% of his mounts. He also finished as the meet’s leading rider at 1,000 yards with 50 victories and top two in the Thoroughbred riding division with 22 victories.

All in all, it was a big year for Ramirez, and he could do even better overall in 2025 if his nice trend on Quarter Horses continues. Over the past 365 days, Ramirez is now tied for seventh place in victories aboard the world’s fastest horses, Quarter Horses. The pilot has secured 24 victories with the breed, a figure that ties him with 2021 leading rider Ruben Lozano and Justine Klaiber for the seventh spot during that span.

The only riders in the Quarter Horse standings ahead of them during that span are Armando Cervantes, Cruz Mendez, Gabriel Lara, Jose Nicasio, Jesus Rios Ayala and Oscar Peinado, all of whom are considered Quarter Horse specialists.

His top Quarter Horse mount remains EG High Desert Farms’ multiple stakes winner Favorite Jesshawk, an ultra-talented colt which Ramirez piloted to victory in the Governor’s Cup Futurity and the Los Alamitos Two Million Invitational for trainer Jesus Nunez.

Overall, Ramirez has won with 17% of his mounts on Quarter Horses and, in addition to Nunez, trainers Scott Willoughby and Kelly Castaneda have also given him opportunities on Quarter Horses this year with Ramirez already winning a pair of races for Ed Allred-owned horses under Willoughby’s watch.

Four weeks into the new meet, Ramirez  is already doing his thing: winning races,. His 10 wins from 30 mounts on all-breeds is good enough to once again be at the top of the current overall standings.

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One of the top performances by a Quarter Horse last weekend was posted by Gentry Farms’ Bold N Beautiful on Sunday night. Facing maidens in her first start as a sophomore.  Bold N Beautiful was perfect from gate to wire, leaving like a rocket and cruising to a 1 ½ length win for trainer Juan Aleman.

The Kentucky-bred by filly  by Freighttrain B out of Always Dreaming began her career at Ruidoso Downs with a pair of out of the money finishes. She flashed her potential in her trial to the All American Futurity held at The Downs at Albuquerque, running third to eventual Grade 1 Texas Classic Futurity fourth place finisher Aguila Rapida.

The Gentry-bred filly traveled to Southern California from there, running second or third in her first three local starts. That included a second-place finish in her trial to the Golden State Million Futurity and a third in her trial to the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity.

Now with this win under her belt, Bold N Beautiful joins Beach Walk as two sharp winning fillies for Gentry Farm for the trials to the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Oaks to be held on March 1.

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For more information, please get in touch with larace@losalamitos.com. You can also follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @losalracing or visit us online at www.losalamitos.com.