Ruidoso Training Races Begin

First of three days of training races at Ruidoso Downs is complete.

May 7, 2012

Three days of training races at Ruidoso Downs started on Monday morning when Derrol Hubbard’s Runaway Jeans won the first of 14 races with a cool breeze and refreshing weather conditions.

All the training races are for 2-year-olds and contested at 300 yards.

Runaway Jeans, a Volcom gelding from the Mike Joiner barn, was timed in :15.974 with Ruidoso Downs Racehorse Hall of Fame member G.R. Carter Jr. aboard.Runaway Jeans was purchased for $18,000 at the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale. The horse is out of the Strawfly Special mare Go Oppie, a half sister to Stolis Winner, the sport's all-time leading money earner with $2,235,161 in earnings.

The quickest time from Monday’s races came in the seventh heat when Joker On Jack was clocked in :15.735 with Esgar Ramirez up. The PYC Paint Your Wagon son is owned by the partnership of Helton, Wade and Jarrett, and was a $17,000 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale purchase. He is a half brother to stakes winners Runaway Fortune (by Runaway Winner, $97,316) and Start The Commotion (by First Down Dash, $30,190). The gelding has raced once, finishing seventh in a Remington Park maiden race on March 11.

The next step for many of the 2-year-olds competing in the training races is the trials to the $600,000 Ruidoso Futurity (G1) on May 25, the opening day of the Ruidoso Downs summer racing season.

For training race entries, go to http://www.raceruidoso.com/horsemens-links-overnights.php.

Training race times will be posted at http://www.raceruidoso.com/horsemens-links-results.php and videos will be at www.raceruidoso.com.

To keep up with latest news from Ruidoso Downs, follow Ruidoso Downs Press Box (@RuiPressBox) on Twitter.