RUIDOSO MAIDEN STAKES TRIALS

AJ Top Secret and jockey Rodrigo Sigala Vallejo proved fastest during qualifying today for the $112,407 Maiden Stakes at Ruidoso Downs Race Track.

The three-year-old gelding, trained by Heath Taylor for owner Bobby Cox, beat Stay Calm by a neck in the fourth trial race running the 350-yards in 17.660 seconds. Stay Calm was the second-fastest runner of the day in a time of 17.687 seconds and also made the final.

AJ Top Secret is sired by Apollitical Jess out of the mare Taka Puna by Fishers Dash. The winner paid $5.20, $3.60 and $2.60. The finals for the Maiden Stakes will be run on Saturday, June 15.

JESS BURNER STAKES

The $50,000 Jess Burner Stakes was won by Pick Your Pour and jockey Ali Rivera for trainer JJ Gonzales III. The four-year-old gelding won for the sixth time in fourteen career starts and has earning of approximately $350,000 for owners Orlando Granillo, Asucena Mendoza and Rene Mendoza. Pick Your Pour is sired by Jesse James Jr out of the mare Tangled Vines by Dash Ta Fame.

Racing continues next weekend at Ruidoso Downs with the running of the $1 million Ruidoso Futurity and $830,000 (est) Ruidoso Derby. Post time for racing Friday, Saturday and Sunday will be 1 p.m.