Joiner Wins Two of Three Adequan Ruidoso Trials

Trainer Mike Joiner won two of the three trials to the Adequan Ruidoso Derby Challenge, including saddling fastest-qualifier J Bar, on Friday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.

Jerry Windham’s homebred J Bar won the first trial in :19.723 and then the Joiner-trained Whip Curl won the second trial in :20.107 for the eighth-fastest time.

J Bar will be making his first stakes appearance after winning two of his previous four starts, all as a 2-year-old. Last summer at Ruidoso Downs, the Jess Zoomin-sired gelding won his John Deere Ruidoso Juvenile Challenge (G3) trial and then his All American Futurity (G1) trial. The Adequan Ruidoso Derby Challenge trial was his first start since a second-place trial run that qualified him to the Dash For Cash Futurity (G1) back in September at Lone Star Park.

Paul Jones and Chad Richard’s homebred Make A Wish For Me finished one-half length behind J Bar for second with the second-fastest time :19.814. The Brookstone Bay gelding won the John Deere Los Alamitos Juvenile Challenge last August for his most recent victory.

Jose Espinosa’s Big Biz Perry, a late-charging winner of the third trial in :19.945, should gain attention in the June 28 Adequan Ruidoso Derby Challenge on the strength of her stakes record. She narrowly won the 2013 $1 million Heritage Place Futurity (G1) over the highly regarded Hes Relentless, who recently set a Remington Park track record.

Trained by Blane Wood, Big Biz Perry was making her first start since racing in the $1 million Texas Classic Futurity (G1) in November.

Burly Jenkins’ Kansas Morning, winner of the 2013 John Deere Ruidoso Juvenile Challenge, was caught at the finish by Big Biz Perry and is a third qualifier from the Joiner stable.

Big Biz Perry was timed in :19.945 while Kansas Morning was clocked in :19.950.
 
2014 Adequan Ruidoso Derby Challenge Qualifiers
Horse/Trial #                                      Trainer                                 Jockey                                   Wind                      Time
J Bar/1                                                   Mike Joiner                           GR Carter Jr.                         8h                     19.723
Make A Wish For Me/1                      Paul Jones                             Cody Jensen                         8h                         19.814
Dash Through Fire/1                           Blane Wood                         Ricky Ramirez                     8h                          19.861
Big Biz Perry/3                                     Blane Wood                         Ricky Ramirez                     5h                        19.945
Kansas Morning/3                               Mike Joiner                           Cody Jensen                         5h                        19.950
Eyes Your Date/1                                Jose Cruz                               Omar Reyes                          8h                       19.973
Latest Theory/3                                   Harvey Baeza                      Berkley Packer                     5h                          20.011
Whip Curl/2                                          Mike Joiner                           Cody Jensen                         10h                     20.017
First Down Mclaren B/3                   Eddie Willis                           Jimmy Brooks                      5h                        20.021
Anniversary Scooter/3                        Roman Solis                         Edgar Martinez                    5h                         20.032

AQHA News and information is a service of the American Quarter Horse Association. For more news and information, follow @AQHARacing on Twitter, watch the AQHA Racing Newscast and visit www.aqharacing.com.