Page 57 - September 2018
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RUIDOSO DOWNS, NEW MEXICO
9
NO MIRES A LA LUNA SI 88, $51,236
10
RUSTYS MIRACLE SI 94, $68,634
Rustys Miracle is 1 of
No Mires A La Luna finished second under Rodrigo Vallejo to qualify
Race record: 7-0-3-1(1) Day 2, Race # 16
Rodrigo Vallejo guided NoMiresALaLunatoa 2nd finish in the 16th trial on Aug. 18 to become the day’s only non-winner to earn an invitation to the finals. No Mires A La Luna was off a step slow from 3-post, bumped I Make U Famous V then drifted out to the center of the track before
lining out to chase Badhabit Jess across the wire. It was the 7th career start for the gelding, who will be the only maiden in the All American Futurity field this year. No Mires A La Luna will be the 4th All American Futurity mount for Vallejo, whose best finish was a 3rd aboard Wagon Tales in 2013. The gelding is the first All American Futurity finalist for Trey Ellis, who saddled No Mires A La Luna for owners Byron Woodard & David Valdez. Woodard also bred No Mires A La Luna, who started his career at Sam Houston Race Park in Texas, but has found better luck in New Mexico, where he has competed in 2 stakes races. He finished 3rd in the $345,655 Mountain Top Futurity-RG3 and 8th in the $409,680 Zia Futurity-RG1. No Mires A La Luna is 1 of 2 All American Futurity qualifiers this year
for his sire, First Moonflash si 122 ($969,828). He is out of Dont Looke Ethel si 90 ($26,100), a 1/2-sister to Eddie Jym si 97 ($48,876), the dam of Champion PJ Chick In Black si 115 ($652,081).
Rustys Miracle and Sergio Becerra Jr. dueled to win by a neck
Race record: 7-5(1)-0-0 Day 2, Race # 11
only 2 fillies to make the finals, joining Lynnder 16, who qualified on Friday. Hailing from the barn of Fred Danley, who saddled his 1st All American Futurity finalist in 1964 and ran 2nd with Gun Battle in 2006, Rustys Miracle won the 11th race on Aug. 18 in :21.695, securing the last qualifying
spot for the All American Futurity. All summer, Rustys Miracle has been knocking on the door of a Ruidoso Downs Triple Crown race. After break- ing her maiden at SunRay Park on April 28, she won a trial to the Ruidoso Futurity. Just out of the top 10, she ran 6th in the Ruidoso Juvenile after
a troubled start. She returned to win a trial to the Rainbow Futurity with similar results, gaining an invitation to the Rainbow Juvenile. With a clean start, Rustys Miracle won the race by 1/2-length under regular rider Sergio Becerra in her most recent start prior to the All American trials. Bob & Jerry Gaston bred Rustys Miracle, who is owned by J & SM Inc. By Valiant Hero, Rustys Miracle is a full sister to Grade 1 winner Valiant Lil Lady si 103 ($517,604) and a 1/2-sister to multiple stakes winner Bubba Carver si 107 ($125,945). Her dam is the unraced mare Rustys Lil Lady, who is a 1/2-sister to World Champion Whosleavingwho si 105 ($1,334,842) out of multiple graded stakes winner Lil Bit Rusty si 103 ($215,394).
SPEEDHORSE, September 2018 55