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American Runaway Affirms Top Ranking With Ruidoso Futurity Win
The nation’s top-ranked 2-year-old quarter horse American Runaway convincingly affirmed that lofty position with a dominating victory in the Grade 1, $500,000 Ruidoso Futurity on Sunday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.
American Runaway broke from the seventh post position and quickly went to the front. He easily handled his rivals while winning by one-and-one-quarter lengths with a :17.467 time for the 350 yards. He raced into a 20-mile-per-hour headwind.
Treason finished second while Bodacious Dash was third in the first leg of the All American Triple Crown at Ruidoso Downs.
“He had a beautiful break from the gate,” said winning rider Cody Jensen. “We had the lead in three or four jumps.”
Eight-time defending national training champion Paul Jones gained his first Ruidoso Futurity win. He has won the All American Futurity three times and has a victory in the Rainbow Futurity.
“It’s a really good start to the meet and you can’t win the (All American) Triple Crown if you don’t win this one,” Jones said. The All American Triple Crown consists of the Ruidoso, Rainbow and All American futurities, all held at Ruidoso Downs. If a horse can sweep all three races then that horse’s connections earn a $4,000,000 bonus, the richest in quarter horse racing. It has never been awarded.
Owned by Sammy and Johnny Martinez with Bobby Cox, American Runaway will now be pointed at the Grade ,1 $625,000 Rainbow Futurity on July 25. The Grade 1, $2,050,000 (est.) All American Futurity is held on Labor Day, closing day of the summer season at Ruidoso Downs.
American Runaway, a son of Ocean Runaway, joined the Jones stable at Ruidoso Downs after a spring campaign at Remington Park with co-owner Sammy Martinez as his trainer. At Remington Park he was winless in three starts, but showed much promise with a second-place finish in the Grade 1, Remington Park Futurity, beaten by just a nose.
Jones, who also races at Remington Park, was aware of American Runaway’s ability. “I knew he was a good horse, but he has really blossomed here at Ruidoso,” Jones said.
American Runaway made his Ruidoso Downs debut in the Ruidoso Futurity trials and was the star of the 19 trials with a nearly 5-length win in :17.138, the all-time fastest qualifying mark to the Ruidoso Futurity and the second-fastest 350-yard time ever by a juvenile at Ruidoso Downs.
“The Martinez brothers had him going really well before he came here,” said Lisa Saumell, who oversees the Jones operation in New Mexico. “He wasn’t breaking (from the gate) as well as he could, so we fiddled with that. Also, he doesn’t like being in a stall in the saddling paddock, so we saddled him outside his stall today. We just gave him his way in the paddock.”
The Martinez brothers were American Runaway’s sole owners for the colt’s Remington Park campaign and his Ruidoso Futurity trial. Longtime owner and breeder Cox bought half interest in the colt after the superb Ruidoso Futurity trial win.
“I thought he was the most impressive horse that I’d seen in a long time so I looked into buying an interest in him,” said Cox. “Plus, I owned his grand dam Dashing Phoebe for many years and I really liked her.” Dashing Phoebe won the Kansas Futurity at Ruidoso Downs and produced Ruidoso Futurity and All American Futurity winner Heartswideopen.
Runner-up Treason and third-place finisher Bodacious Dash each made their first career starts in the Ruidoso Futurity trials and showed they will be dangerous as they gain experience this summer.
Donna Aldridge and Lola Willis’ Treason won his Ruidoso Futurity trial by a nose for trainer Mike Joiner. The gelding sired by Hawkinson has been ridden by champion jockey G.R. Carter Jr. in each of career starts.
Jim Pitts’ Bodacious Dash was a one-half length Ruidoso Futurity trial winner. The First Down Dash son from the Blane Wood barn has Ricky Ramirez as his regular jockey.
The complete order of finish in the Ruidoso Futurity is American Runaway, Treason, Bodacious Dash, Royally Sandra, Legendary Express, Unanchored, Absolut Treasure, Brimmin To Pass, Fredona and No Dice Special.
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For more information, please contact rweber@RaceRuidoso.com .
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