Todd Fuqua/Ruidoso Free Press Carter’s Cookie, seen here with G.R. Carter riding him to a victory in the Rainbow Futurity, is among a deep of horses vying for this year’s All American Futurity on Thursday.
There will be a special 9:30 a.m. first post time to accommodate the daylong 440-yard trials with 258 entrants. Last year, there were also 26 All American Futurity trials.
The horses with the 10 fastest times qualify to race for the $1.2 million first-place check in the All American Futurity on Labor Day. The All American Futurity is the world’s richest quarter horse race and has the highest purse for a two-year-old horserace in North America, regardless of breed.
Topping the trials are the sport’s top-four ranked horses – One Dashing Eagle, winner of this year’s Ed Burke Million Futurity; Rainbow Futurity winner Carters Cookie; Ruidoso Futurity winner PJ Chick In Black and Heritage Place Futurity winner BP Cartels Alibi. Also racing is the sixth-ranked juvenile Lota PYC, winner of the Remington Park Oklahoma-bred Futurity.
San Gregorio and Jose and Gustavo De La Torre’s One Dashing Eagle is the unanimous number-one ranked juvenile after his eye-catching one-and-one-quarter length win in the Ed Burke Million, his most recent start. He won the 350-yard sprint at Los Alamitos Race Course in Southern California in 17.335 seconds, the fastest time over the distance during the current Los Alamitos meet which began at the start of the year, and earned $420,420.
A son of first-year sire One Famous Eagle, One Dashing Eagle earned the 3-2 favorite spot in the Ed Burke Million after winning his only other two starts and setting the fastest-qualifying time to the Ed Burke Million.
Fans will need to wait to watch One Dashing Eagle run as he drew into the 26th and final trial. Ramon Sanchez rides One Dashing Eagle for trainer Jose De La Torre.
Mark Allen, Leonard Blach and Butch Southway’s Carters Cookie vaulted to number-two in the poll after pushing his record to two-for-two with a mild upset win in the Rainbow Futurity on July 22. The Mike Joiner-trained gelding impressed when he drew out to the one-and-one-quarter-length win at nearly 8-1 odds. He combined a powerful start with a long-striding finish to earn the $350,000 first-place check.
The Carters Cartel-sired Carters Cookie won his Rainbow Futurity trial by more than two lengths in his first start.
G.R. Carter Jr., who was up for the Rainbow Futurity, has the mount with the fourth post position in the ninth trial.
Owned by Denny Bowen, Susan Taylor with Jack and Lynne Smith, PJ Chick In Black has been at or near the top of the poll since April and currently holds down the number-three spot. The daughter of Desirio has four wins from four starts with two futurity wins.
PJ Chick In Black started her career against New Mexico-bred competition at Sunland Park and won the New Mexican Spring Futurity in a very fast 14.912 for 300 yards. She was supplemented to the Ruidoso Futurity trials at a cost of $15,000, then overcame a troubled start to win the race over fastest qualifier Krash Cartel, who returns in the 21st All American Futurity trial.
Her connections supplemented her to the All American Futurity trials at a cost of $50,000.
Esgar Ramirez will be aboard the John Stinebaugh-trained PJ Chick In Black in the 24th trial with third post position.
Raymundo Villarreal Jr.’s BP Cartels Alibi, another $50,000 supplemental nominee, finished third in his career debut and then completed his rise to the poll’s fourth position with a close head win over West Texas Futurity winner El Duero in the Heritage Place Futurity at Remington Park. The Trey Wood-trained colt raced the 350 yards in 17.580 as an 11-1 longshot.
Regular rider Ricky Ramirez will be aboard the Corona Cartel son with third post position in the 25th trial.
Joining PJ Chick In Black and BP Cartels Alibi as supplemental trial entrants are SS Poker Face Dream, PYC Kant Katch Me, Just Wanna Corona, Brotherman, Rockin Disco and Gonna Cha Cha.