RUIDOSO DOWNS, New Mexico — The rematch between the two horses that finished in a dead heat for the win in the Grade 1, $1-million Ruidoso Futurity — Eagle Jazz and Uptown Dynasty — is set in the Grade 1, $1-million Rainbow Futurity on Sunday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.
If either of these horses win the Rainbow Futurity and go on to win the Grade 1, $3-million All American Futurity on Labor Day, then the horse’s connections take the $4-million All American Triple Crown Bonus. It would raise the horse’s earnings to about $6.2 million and the horse would become the all-time leading money earning quarter horse.
First post time is 1 p.m. and there is always free parking and free general admission.
In what could prove to be the quarter horse race of the year, Eagle Jazz is the 5-2 favorite and Uptown Dynasty is the 7-2 second choice. There were two days of Rainbow Futurity trials and Eagle Jazz and Uptown Dynasty set the fastest times on each day of trials.
They are far apart in the starting gate. Uptown Dynasty starts from the second post position while Eagle Jazz drew the ninth post position in the 10-horse field. Cipriano Uscanga Vidana rides Uptown Dynasty and Rodrigo Sigala Vallejo climbs on Eagle Jazz.
The top-ranked two-year-old in the nation, Eagle Jazz has been sensational for trainer Judd Kearl. He started his racing career at Remington Park and then came to Ruidoso Downs.
Juan Medina’s homebred Eagle Jazz won his first two starts at Remington Park and then was head-bobbing second in the Remington Park Oklahoma-bred Futurity, his only loss from six career starts.
Eagle Jazz has been perfect in his three Ruidoso Downs starts.
A gelded son of One Dashing Eagle, Eagle Jazz set the fastest time on the second of two days of trials to the Ruidoso Futurity — :17.874 for 350 yards.
Then came the valiant meeting with Uptown Dynasty in the Ruidoso Futurity.
Melvin Negebauer’s Uptown Dynasty raced to an alert start and was in the tussle for the entire 400 yards. Eagle Jazz stumbled at the start and the strapping colt fought to catch the leaders. Uptown Dynasty and Eagle Jazz raced on even terms near the wire and they finished in the dead heat for the win.
Eagle Jazz dominated his Rainbow Futurity trial by three-and-one-quarter lengths with the fastest time on the first day of trials — :19.606 for 400 yards.
Uptown Dynasty made his racing debut at Sam Houston Race Park — a second in his Sam Houston Futurity trial — and then came to Ruidoso Downs and joined the Wes Giles stable.
Check out complete coverage of the Rainbow Derby and Rainbow Futurity this weekend on "The Fast Track", hosted by Steve Bortstein.
"The Fast Track", presented by SunRay Park and Casino, features some of the nation's top handicappers offering opinions, breaking news and selections from some of the top racing circuits across America and around the world.
"The Fast Track" airs weekends at 10am ET on FOX AM1340/93.9FM and online, streamed live on the I Heart Radio app on this website.
A gelding by Mr Jess Perry, Uptown Dynasty made a winning first start at Ruidoso Downs when he won his Ruidoso Futurity trial by one-and-one-half lengths in :18.142, the third-fastest time on the first day of trials.
Uptown Dynasty then got an aggressive start in the Ruidoso Futurity and showed his grit in the final strides while racing to the dead heat with Eagle Jazz.
The gelding again showed his class in his Rainbow Futurity trial when he won by a neck over qualifier Painted Wine Wagon during the second day of trials. Uptown Dynasty’s time of :19.711 was the day’s quickest mark.
David and Margaret “Meg” Brown’s Lena Cartel is the only other horse in the Rainbow Futurity with graded stakes experience. The Carters Cartel-sired filly was third in the Grade 2, $483,600 Sam Houston Futurity for her only setback from three starts.
Lena Cartel, a $40,000 Ruidoso Super Select Sale purchase, won her Rainbow Futurity trial by two lengths as the even-money choice. Her time of :19.715 was the second-fastest mark on the first day of trials.
Trainer Kearl will have Ricky Ramirez on Lena Cartel and they start from the fifth post position.
For complete Ruidoso Downs’ information, go to www.raceruidoso.com, visit the Ruidoso Downs Race Track and Casino Facebook page and follow the Ruidoso Press Box (@RuiPressBox) on Twitter.
Photo courtesy of Ruidoso Downs