Gay Harris/Ruidoso Downs Race Track Emperor Valerian, ridden by Ricky Ramirez, cruised over the wet surface of Ruidoso Downs Race Track Saturday to win the Brigand Stakes by more than a length.
Emperor Valerian, with Ricky Ramirez aboard, raced the 550 yards in 26.744 seconds for his third win in his latest five starts.
Oh Hard To Sell was second and Double Kool finished third in the seven-horse field.
Emperor Valerian broke with the leaders from the starting gate and assumed the lead in the final 200 yards. He then went on to win by one-and-one-quarter lengths.
A four-year-old gelding by Heza Fast Dash, Emperor Valerian won for a $25,000 claiming tag back in March over 400 yards at Remington Park and then stretched out to 870 yards to win a Remington Park allowance race in April.
Runner-up Oh Hard To Sell finished second for the fourth-straight race. His previous three second-place finishes came in allowance races.
Third-place finisher Double Kool also came into the Brigand off a second-place run in an allowance race.