Page 76 - New Mexico Horse Breeder, Fall

RUIDOSO DOWNS
Nine New Mexico-bred stakes races — five for Thoroughbreds and four for Quarter Horses — were contested at Ruidoso Downs on July 29 as part of that track’s annual Zia Festival program.
Purses totaling $950,617 were paid out. The day’s richest race, the 400-yard, $409,680 Zia Quarter Horse Futurity (RG1), was won by Jess Fire Chick, a homebred daughter of Jess A Chicks trained by Wes Giles for owners Mike Abraham of Bosque, New Mexico, and Paul Blanchard of Albuquerque. Agustin Silva rode the filly, who was winning her second graded stakes race of the meet and increasing her earnings to $322,040.
J. Kirk and Judy Robison of El Paso, Texas, won two of the five Thoroughbred stakes with their homebreds — the 5 1/2-furlong, $50,000 Sierra Starlet
Handicap (R) for 3-year-old fillies with Fast Gator, and the 5 1/2-furlong, $50,000 Sierra Blanca Handicap (R) with Diabolical Gator.
Raul Herrera and Frank Reyes both rode the winners of two Zia Festival races. Herrera won two Quarter Horse races, the 870-yard, $50,000 Zia 870 Championship (R) with 25-1 longshot DM Nate Dog, and the 400-yard, $50,000 Zia Quarter Horse Handicap (RG2) with 5-2 favorite Cartels Star Daddy. Reyes won a pair of Thoroughbred races, the 5 1/2-furlong, $50,000 Road Runner Handicap (R) with Rig Time, and the 6-furlong, $50,000 Lincoln Handicap (R) with Explosive Spy.
Ruidoso Downs announced Zia Festival Day attendance at 4,933. A total of $488,544 was wagered on the entire 10-race program, including $245,967 on track.
by Michael Cusortelli
ZIA FESTIVAL 2018
74 New Mexico Horse Breeder