Dark Nme highlights All American Futurity qualifiers

RUIDOSO, NEW MEXICO — The finals are set for the All American Futurity, All American Derby and All American Oaks after the trials, which were held Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Ruidoso Downs Race Track and Casino.

The All American Futurity is for 2-year-old quarter horses, the All American Derby is for 3-year-old quarter horses and the All American Oaks is for 3-year-old fillies.

All American Futurity

Heath Taylor's Corner Pocket 123 came into the trials with plenty of potential and a $50,000 supplemental fee into the trials but won Saturday's first trial in a time of 21.677 seconds despite a slow break and having to rally from behind for the win.

"Corner Pocket 123 has lots of potential and he showed just how good he is when he came back and won the race the way he did," said the trainer Taylor, who won last year's All American Futurity with Hesjudgeandjury. "He won the first trial of the day and then we had to wait for 15 more trials to end, but it was worth it at the end."

Taylor also qualified Devastating in Friday's trials.

Trainer Toby Keeton qualified four horses: Sandstone Mountain, Flying Rabbit 123, Dashing Tres and Cuz Lightyear. But Sandstone Mountain will not run in the finals after dying on Friday night according to racing officials.

Keeton, who has not won an All-American Futurity but has finished second twice, is high on his other three horses.

"The three horses going to the finals are all talented and we're hopeful for all three of them," Keeton said.

The other qualifiers were Dark Nme, who had the fastest qualifying time of 21.101 with jockey Francisco Calderon aboard, AJ Prescious Jewel, Cowboy Gun Z and Trane Station V. Dark Nme won the Rainbow Futurity last month and is trained by Santos Carrizales, who also trains Station V.

Mike Joiner trained Saturday's fastest qualifier, Cowboy Gun Z, who had the winning time of 21.576.

"We always felt this horse had lots of potential, we just had to really work hard on schooling him in the gate," Joiner said. "He ran a really good race and jockey Agustin Silva did a great job of riding him and he's a good jockey. It's great to get back into the All American Futurity."

The All American Futurity will be held on Sept. 4.

All American Derby

Keeton finished the weekend with an amazing finish to the trials for the 3-year-olds, qualifying the top two horses and three overall. Delight Interest had the fastest qualifying time of 21.270 seconds in the eighth of nine trials with jockey Juan Pulido aboard. Delight Interest won the West Texas Derby at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino earlier this year.

"This was the horse we were looking forward to running all day long," Pulido said. "He's a talented horse with lots of potential and he showed it."

Delight Interest was a $50,000 supplemental entry into the All American Derby trials.

Getthere Fast qualified in the final All American Derby trials for Keeton with Bryan Candanosa aboard with a time of 21.295 seconds. The other qualifying horse for Keeton was Whiskey Creek, which also had Pulido aboard and qualified with a time of 21.524 seconds. Getthere Fast qualified for the Ruidoso and Rainbow Futurities as a 2-year-old last summer.

"Great effort," said Pulido of Whiskey Creek. "This is a horse which is talented and gives a great effort."

The other qualifiers were Chasin AJ, Shakers No Secret, Magnanimous V, Cyber Attack, Sicario V, Hooked N Gone and Hes A Jet One.

Cyber Attack won the Ruidoso Derby and was second in the Rainbow Derby and Sicario V won the Rainbow Derby. The Rainbow Derby will be held on Sept. 3.

All American Oaks

The 10-horse final is set for Sept. 3 and Streaks of Power earned the fastest time with a time of 21.588 for trainer Monty Arrossa with Calderon aboard. Also qualifying was the superb Jes An Angel for trainer Marc E. Jungers with jockey Noe Garcia aboard. Jes An Angel has won 10 of 16 career starts.

"Great horse," Jungers said. "She always gives her best effort and she ran well."

The other qualifiers were Cool Ya Jets, Ezee Monee, One Perfect Lady, Curls Joyful Wagon, Cartel Kisses, Apollitical Chick V, Pollitical Chick V, Political Royalty, Hidden Figures.

Ezee Monee won last month's Rainbow Oaks and qualified for the Ruidoso Derby in June.

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Felix F. Chavez can be reached at fchavez@elpasotimes.com; @Fchavezeptimes on Twitter