Carter rides 10 winners in Rainbow Futurity trials

Jockey G.R. Carter Jr. won 10 of the 32 trials for the Rainbow Quarter Horse Futurity held Friday and Saturday at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico. He also was aboard First Valiant Sign, who remains the lone horse eligible for a $4 million Triple Crown bonus after he made the finale when running third in the last race of the day Saturday.

First Valiant Sign won the $750,000 Ruidoso Futurity last month, and if he captures the $1 million Rainbow on July 19 and the $3 million All American Futurity in September, his ownership would earn the bonus. The three races form the Triple Crown at Ruidoso.

Carter won four trial races Friday and six Saturday. He ended up qualifying a total of five horses to the Rainbow Futurity.

“It has been amazing,” Carter said in a release from Ruidoso. “What has been fun is having a lot of success with a lot of different owners and trainers.”

Horses with the top five fastest times either Friday or Saturday earned a spot in the 10-horse gate for the Rainbow Futurity. The fastest qualifier day 1 was Tres Friends with a 400-yard time of 19.55 seconds, while the quickest of the lot day 2 was Roman Soldier Cd, with a time of 19.65. Roman Soldier Cd won his trial over First Valiant Sign and paid $58.

Carter qualified My Royal Wagon, A Tres of Paint, Sky Bo Dash, First Valiant Sign, and Desparate Daisy.

First Valiant Sign’s qualifying time was 19.68.