Chasing Aj showing plenty of energy ahead of Ruidoso Futurity final
Chasing Aj won his debut in a division of the Ruidoso Futurity trials at 350 yards on May 27 in the quick time of 17.79 seconds, fast enough to earn a berth in Sunday’s $1 million final at Ruidoso Downs.
In the two weeks since the trial, Chasing Aj has behaved like a gelding eager for a second start.
“He seems to be quite full of himself,” trainer Heath Taylor said. “The horse is all the time a very high energy horse. He bucks, squeals, kicks, jumps, and plays. He’s an aggressive 2-year-old with a lot of energy.”
If the enthusiasm translates favorably Sunday, Chasing Aj can win the first of Ruidoso’s three seven-figure futurities, a series that concludes with the $3 million All American Futurity on Sept. 5.
Chasing Aj is owned by Steve Holt and was purchased for $95,000 as a yearling at Ruidoso last summer. By Apollitical Jess, Chasing Aj won his trial on May 27 by 1 1/2 lengths as the favorite, a position he is likely to hold in the final.
The five fastest qualifiers from 15 trials on May 27 and 28 advanced to Sunday’s final. With so many trials, there was little margin for error, and a measure of luck was needed. A headwind was prevalent on both days, measuring as little as 8 mph for some qualifiers and as much as 25 mph.
“It played a huge factor,” Taylor said.
Chasing Aj won his trial in a race with an 11 mph headwind. He will be ridden on Sunday by Rodrigo Vallejo, who also qualified the Taylor-trained Hes Judgeandjury, a trial race winner on May 28 in 18.10 despite a 14 mph headwind.
Hes Judgeandjury, co-owned by Holt and Jeff Jones, is a half-brother to Empressum, the champion 3-year-old of 2021.
“He seems to be keep improving,” Taylor said of Hes Judgeandjury. “He’s a smart intelligent horse. He makes no mistakes.”
Of the 10 finalists, nine were trial race winners, an indication that many approach the race with excellent chances.
There will be deserved support for Otts Boy, who won a trial on May 28 in 17.84, the fastest of the day and the only qualifier from that program to break the 18-second barrier. The five qualifiers from May 27 all had times below 18 seconds.
Otts Boy, trained by Toby Keeton, drew post 8, one stall outside of Chasing Aj.