Page 37 - New Mexico Fall 2020

Zia Quarter Horse Derby (RG2)
Sent to post as the 5-2 favorite in a field of 10 New Mexico-bred 3 year olds, Mister Riptide responded with a neck victory in the July 25, $183,073 Zia Derby-RG2 at Ruidoso Downs.
Mister Riptide went 400 yards in :19.885 and recorded a 90 speed index while racing
on a muddy and sealed track. Ricky Ramirez rode the sorrel son of Woodbridge for owners Mark and Annette McCloy and trainer Charles “Duke” Shults.
”It was just a perfect trip,” said Ramirez. “About halfway through, it was still a hand- ride. Then I asked him for a little, and he gave me a lot.”
Mister Riptide was bred by Mac and Janis Murray’s MJ Farms at Veguita, New Mexico, and the gelding was a $22,000 yearling purchase by the McCloys at the 2018 New Mexico-Bred Yearling Sale. The gelding’s sire, Woodbridge, is an unraced son of Dash Ta Fame and a half brother to 2009 AQHA Champion Filly Alice K White and Grade 1 winner Kendall Jackson.
Woodbridge has sired the earners of more than $3.7 million from eight crops, including multiple graded stakes winner Carson City Girl and graded stakes winners Woodys Copy Cat and Woodys All Star.
Mister Riptide’s dam, Ms Riptide, is a winning 13-year-old daughter of champion Ocean Runaway who won the 2011 AQHA Sam Houston Distaff Challenge Stakes. The gelding’s second dam, Sixes Miss Perry, won the 2004 AQHA Texas Distaff Challenge Stakes-G3 at Sam Houston Race Park. Sixes Miss Perry produced Acorn In The Grove,
a half-sister to Ms Riptide who ran third
in the 2011 TQHA Sale Futurity-RG2 at Retama Park.
Mister Riptide traces back to his third dam, Mame Smashed, who won the ‘88 World’s Champ. Classic Stakes-G1 at Ruidoso Downs.
The eighth-fastest qualifier, Mister Riptide made his sophomore season debut with a
neck victory in one of five trials on July 11. That was his first start since Sept. 2, when he ran second in the 440-yard, $3-million All American Futurity-G1.
”He needed the time after the All American last year, and he came back so fresh and ready,” said Shults. “He’s got a real heart for racing.”
Mister Riptide has won six of eight starts
- all at Ruidoso Downs - and the $76,891 win- ner’s share of the purse from his second lifetime stakes score boosted his earnings to $743,498
Close To Crazy finished second and was followed by fastest qualifier Donelli,
Flashing Moolah, First Neon Moon, Doinwhateverittakes, Bigg Jack, Stominado, Dark Moon, and
Colby James.
Close To Crazy races for Bella A. Valenzuela, who purchased the filly at the 2018 New Mexico-Bred Sale. Close To Crazy has won three of 13 outs, and the $32,953 runner- up share of the Zia Derby purse pushed her bankroll to $88,754.
A homebred daughter of Big Daddy Cartel, Donelli races for MJ Farms. The filly has earned $276,044 from nine starts - all in New Mexico - and her five wins include a last year’s $386,196 New Mexico State Fair Futurity-RG3 at Albuquerque Downs.
by Michael Cusortelli, photos by Ruidoso Downs
RUIDOSO DOWNS
Woodbridge
Dash Ta Fame
Champagne Lane
Ms Riptide
Ocean Runaway
Sixes Ms Perry
MISTER RIPTIDE
FALL 2020 35