RUIDOSO DOWNS -- Flash Moonfire’s owner David Valdez paid $15,000 for the gelding to gain eligibility to the $392,555 Mountain Top Futurity trials and that investment came through with the fastest-qualifying time from 12 trials on Friday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.
The 350-yard Mountain Top Futurity is for New Mexico-bred two-year-olds. The finals will be held on June 17.
A $27,000 Ruidoso Yearling Sale purchase, Flash Moonfire came into his trial with $30,749 in earnings After as fourth-place finish in the $140,000 New Mexican Spring Futurity at Sunland Park in his prior start.
Flash Moonfire, the 1-2 favorite, took command of the second trial under jockey Oscar Cordova and easily handled his rivals by one length. The Juan Esquivel-trained gelded son of First Moonflash was timed in :17.704 for 350 yards.
Trainer Wes Giles saddled second-fastest qualifier Bigg Daddy and fourth-fastest qualifier Tempting Star Gazer.
Too For Two’s Bigg Daddy humbled his rivals in the final trial when he pulled away to a two-and-three-quarter-length win in:17.794. The gelded son of Big Daddy Cartel and champion Alice K White was the 5-2 favorite after qualifying for the New Mexican Spring Futurity.
Bigg Daddy, a $25,000 Ruidoso Yearling Sale purchase, won his maiden in his third career start while taking the trial.
Jose Espinosa and Jill Giles’ Tempting Star Gazer, a gelding by First Moonflash, pulled away from New Mexican Spring Futurity winner Moneys A Maker to win by one-and-three-quarter lengths. The $23,000 Ruidoso Yearling Sale purchase was clocked in :17.818.
Tempting Star Gazer came off a third-place run behind Moneys A Maker in the Spring Futurity.
Rogelio Carrasco Sr.’s A Passion For Flashn, a $6,500 Ruidoso Yearling Sale purchase, stepped forward with a 9-1 upset win in the eighth trial with the second-fastest time of :17.812. The First Moonflash son won his maiden in his third start after never finishing higher than fourth in his two previous outs.
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