All American trials draw Grade 1 winners

RUIDOSO DOWNS — Three Grade 1 stakes winners are among the 2-year-old quarter horses that will attempt to qualify today and Saturday for the $3 million All American Futurity.

Rainbow Futurity winner A Revenant and Heritage Place Futurity champ Duponte are entered in today’s trials at Ruidoso Downs. A Revenant goes in the fifth race, while Duponte races in the 15th trial.

Apolltical Chad, who won the Ruidoso Futurity in June, sprints in Saturday’s fourth trial.

There are 15 trials today and another 15 Saturday. The five fastest each day over 440 yards advance to the Labor Day final. First post time each day is 11 a.m. The races will be televised on Ride-TV (Dish Channel 248). The All American winner earns $1.5 million.

A Revenant, the AQHA’s top-ranked 2-yearold, won the Rainbow Futurity as the 9-10 favorite in July. Trainer Michael Joiner has won two Rainbow Futurities and three Ruidoso Futurities. Jockey Cody Jensen has the ride.

Duponte, a sorrel colt, is a supplemental addition. Owners Bobby Cox and Homero and Kristen Ashley Paredes paid a $50,000 fee to make him eligible. The son of American Runaway (who won the 2010 Ruidoso Futurity and was second in the 2010 Rainbow) is trained by 21-year-old Josue Ponce. Francisco Ramirez Jr. will ride.

Apolltical Chad skipped the Rainbow trials to concentrate on the All American. The sorrel gelding beat A Revenant by a head in the Ruidoso Futurity. He is trained by Wes Giles, who has won two Rainbow Futurities, and will be ridden by Adrian Ramos.

Teller Baja, who won the $888,000 Remington Park Oklahoma-bred Futurity, races in today’s 14th race. The filly won her Rainbow Futurity trial, but lost her footing at the start and did not record a fast enough time to qualify for the final. Trainer Judd Kearl won the Rainbow Derby this summer with Valiant Rogue. Jose Alvarez is her jockey.