Ruidoso Downs Kicks Off Racing Season with Ruidoso Futurity & Derby Trials Over Memorial Day Weekend

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM – MAY 27, 2021 – Ruidoso Downs Race Track opens its summer meet on Friday, May 28 with two days of trials for the first leg of the Quarter Horse Triple Crown, the Ruidoso Futurity. Sunday will showcase Ruidoso Derby trials, and Monday's program will feature a flag ceremony on the track after the 3rd race in honor of Memorial Day along with the running of the John Andreini Memorial Stakes.

The Grade 1, $1 Million Ruidoso Futurity trials will run on Friday, May 28 and Saturday, May 29. There are 306 2-year-olds entered in the trials with 16 350-yard trials each day. This is a 10% increase over last year’s entries. Post time is 11:00 AM on both days. The horses with the five fastest times from each day of trials qualify to advance to the Ruidoso Futurity final on June 13. The horses with the 11th – 20th fastest times are eligible to race in the $100,000 Ruidoso Juvenile which also runs on June 13.

In Friday’s trials, the leading money earner is Mr Apollo Jess with $86,629 in two of three starts. The Apollitical Jess colt, owned by Zitro Racing, is trained by Toby Keeton and will be ridden by Juan Pulido. He was purchased at the 2020 Heritage Place Sale for $115, 000 and will run in the 7th race.

Saturday’s leading earner is Revenant Moon owned by Trey Odom, Scott Bryant, and Norman Allen. The brown filly was purchased at the 2020 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale and has already earned a respectable $196,718 in two outs. The filly by the late A Revenant hails from Trey Wood barn and will be ridden by Jose Alvarez in the first race on the card.

Trials racing action continues on Sunday with the Grade 1, $850,000 (est.) Ruidoso Derby trials where 90 3-year-olds will compete in 10 trial heats for a shot at the finals which will be run on June 12. Although last year’s Rainbow Futurity and All American Futurity winner Whistle Stop Café will not participate until the Rainbow Derby trials, some recognizable names from last year include 2020 Ruidoso Futurity winner Cyber Monday, 2020 Texas Classic Futurity winner Dulce Sin Tacha and the 2020 Heritage Place Futurity winner Shott Gun. The top ten times will head to the finals and the 11th – 20th fastest times will be eligible to run in the Ruidoso Invitational on June 12.

On Monday, the first stakes racing action takes place on the track as Quarter Horses that are 3-years-and-up compete in the John Andreini Memorial Stakes at 350-yards. Christina Robinson’s Cers Final Try, runner-up to Hotsempting in the 2020 Ruidoso Derby, winner of the 2020 Rainbow Derby and third-place finisher in the 2020 All American Derby will headline the day’s 9th race which has a $25,000 purse.

Post time on Sunday and Monday is 1:00 PM. For more information about the upcoming 2021 racing schedule or to reserve your tickets and plan your visit, go to RaceRuidoso.com.