Rivalry to resume in $1M Rainbow Futurity
Eagle Jazz, Uptown Dynasty fought to a draw last time
RUIDOSO DOWNS — Quarter horses Eagle Jazz and Uptown Dynasty will try to settle today what they could not last month.
Eagle Jazz, the second choice at 2-1, and Uptown Dynasty, off at 17-1, finished in a dead heat in the June 11 $1 million Ruidoso Futurity. They each ran the 350 yards in 17.537 seconds.
The two will square off today over 400 yards in the 54th running of the Grade 1, $1 million Rainbow Futurity at Ruidoso Downs. Post time is 4:28 p.m.
Eagle Jazz, who will break from the No. 9 post, is listed at 5-2 on the morning line and will be ridden by Rodrigo Sigala Vallejo for trainer Judd Kearl. Uptown Dynasty, running out of the No. 1 gate, is the 7-2 second choice and carries jockey Cipriano Uscanga Vidana.
Eagle Jazz dominated his Rainbow Futurity trial by 3¼ lengths with the fastest time on the first day of trials — 19.606 seconds.
Uptown Dynasty, trained by Wes Giles, had the fastest time in the second day of Rainbow trials — 19.711. The gelding beat qualifier Painted Wine Wagon (20-1) by a neck.
Kearl also trains Lena Cartel (5-1) — the only other horse in the Rainbow Futurity with graded stakes experience. The Carters Cartelsired filly was third in the Grade 2, $483,600 Sam Houston Futurity for her only loss in three starts. She was a $40,000 Ruidoso Super Select Sale purchase and won her Rainbow trial by two lengths as the even-money choice. Her time of 19.715 was the second-fastest on the first day of trials. Jockey Ricky Ramirez has the call.
Wagon Chick V (9-2), the third-fastest qualifier on the second day (19.826), will be ridden by all-time winning jockey G.R. Carter for trainer Clint Crawford.
Starfield (8-1) is another runner from Kearl’s barn. The colt, a $102,000 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale graduate, won his Rainbow trial by 2¼ lengths.
Hotstepper (10-1) is trained by Sleepy Gilbreath and will be ridden by Cody Jensen.
RIDE-TV, channel 248 on Dish Network, will have coverage of the race beginning at 4 p.m. The Downs at Albuquerque will offer simulcast wagering.
ALBUQUERQUE: Kingsbury is the 9-5 early choice for today’s Grade 3, $50,000 AQHA Albuquerque Distance Challenge, which will be run over 870 yards. Kingsbury will be making his first start since May 5, when he scored a 2¾-length victory in the 870-yard, $30,000 SunRay Park Marathon Handicap.
Stakes winner Jess A Hilbily Bone, voted the distance horse of the meet at Remington Park, will make his Albuquerque debut and is 7-2 on the morning line. He will break from the No. 7 post in the seven-horse race.
Post time is 3:35 p.m.