RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM – MAY 24, 2020 – Under a blue sky with a slight headwind, it was a filly named Hotsempting that blazed a trail to the wire in 19.945 and led the field of 10 qualifiers who will vie for the top prize in the Ruidoso Derby. The finals for the $750,000 GI Ruidoso Derby for 3-year-olds will be held on June 6th at Ruidoso Downs Race Track. 

Hotsempting, a Texas-bred graduate of the Ruidoso Yearling Sale, is owned by Miguel Gallegos and Mauricio Gallegos and is trained by Sergio Ibarra. Today, jockey Esgar Ramirez rode Hotsempting to a dominant win over the rest of the field. 

“It was worth the wait especially with the wind,” said trainer Sergio Ibarra. “It seemed like the wind was picking up all afternoon, and I was so thankful that she broke and really ran down the track straight and fast. She is so different from any other three-year-old in my barn. Horsemen are very thankful that we are running, and we are grateful to Ruidoso Downs for putting in all the effort to keep racing under all the guidelines.”

Horses from the John Stinebaugh stable also had a banner day as the trainer qualified three horses for the final including Kylee Joy, Katch This Bird and Cartel Charly. It was the most that any single barn qualified for the Derby. 

“All three tried their hearts out today and that gives us three shots in the final,” said trainer John Stinebaugh. "The last one (Cartel Charly in the 11th race) even sprung a shoe loose coming out of the gate and still qualified. That had to have impacted that horse's race time - so we feel confident about having a chance with all three.” 

The final field for the Ruidoso Derby is as follows – Hotsempting (19.945), Apollitical Papa (19.977), Kylee Joy (20.019), Tres of Hero (20.036), Cers Final Try (20.051), Katch This Bird (20.069), Running Buddy (20.109), Cartel Charly (20.120), Kleptomaniac (20.153) and Oatman Creek Senator (20.167).

In addition, the field for the $100,000 Ruidoso Invitational Stakes was also set for the 10 horses with the next fastest qualifying times that did not qualify for the Ruidoso Derby. The field includes: Why, Laser Cut, Uncle D, Elm Creek Khrome, Kj Frankie B, Avyator, Kj Mucho Macho Man, My Fast Prize, Truly a Dynasty, and Dynast C. The finals for the Ruidoso Invitational Stakes will be run on June 6th. 

Racing at Ruidoso Downs resumes with a full card of Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred racing tomorrow with the featured John Andreini Memorial Stakes and a post time of 1:00 PM MDT.