Champion Ochoa takes a critical step towards possibly becoming the all-time leading money-earning quarter horse when he heads the 10 trials to the All American Derby on Friday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.

The 440-yard trials comprise the entire program with the 10-fastest times qualifying for the 440-yard All American Derby on Sept. 2.

First post time is noon and returns to the usual 1 p.m. for the Saturday and Sunday racing programs.

The All American Derby purse is the all-time largest purse for three-year-old-or-older quarter horses. The All American Derby winner also receives a berth in the $750,000 Champion Of Champions in December at Los Alamitos Race Course in Southern California.

Stolis Winner, winner of the 2008 All American Futurity, is the current all-time leading money-earning quarter horse at $2,235,161. The Tres Seis-sired Ochoa has earned $1,6 million and the winner’s share of the All American Derby is $938,506. If he wins the All American Derby he will have earned $2.5 million, plus whatever he earns in his All American Derby trial.

But first, Ochoa must qualify for the All American Derby when he starts in the eighth trial with the eighth post position and regular rider Roy Baldillez is aboard.

Trained by hall of famer Sleepy Gilbreath, Ochoa earned the champion two-year-old title last year on the strength of his dominating win in the $2.4 million All American Futurity and he comes into the All American Derby off a game late-charging win in the $903,774 Rainbow Derby. The All American Futurity and the Rainbow Derby are at the All American Derby distance of 440 yards. Ochoa is four-for-four at 440 yards and has earned $1.5 million at the distance.