Competitive group headlines All American Futurity time trials at Ruidoso

Lets Leave, winner of the $1 million Ruidoso Futurity in June, and Dark NME, the unbeaten filly who won the $1 million Rainbow Futurity on July 16, are among 301 2-year-olds entered in 32 time trials for the All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs on Friday and Saturday.

While Lets Leave and Dark NME have had brilliant seasons, there are no guarantees they will earn berths for the $3 million All American Futurity at 440 yards on Sept. 4.

The five runners with the fastest times on Friday and Saturday, regardless of finishing positions, advance to the final. Wind and potential changes in the weather could affect final times during the six hours needed to compete the trials each day.

All of the runners will be racing at 440 yards for the first time.

Dark NME, who has won five starts for owners Willie and Nancy Garcia of Hebbronville, Texas, starts in the 10th of 16 races on Friday. To accommodate lengthy programs, first post time is 11 p.m., Mountain, or 1 p.m. Eastern. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

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Dark NME will be a massive favorite to extend her winning streak. Earlier this year, she won the Remington Park Oklahoma-Bred Futurity in April and a division of the Ruidoso Futurity time trials in late May. Dark NME was not fast enough to gain a berth in the Ruidoso Futurity.

Also on Friday, KJ Little Duce Coup, who won the West Texas Futurity at Sunland Park in the spring, starts in the seventh race. Tempting Scout, the winner of the Prairie Meadows Gold Futurity in Iowa in July, will be favored in the 15th race.

Lets Leave, who was held out of the Rainbow Futurity time trials in favor of the All American trials, starts in the 15th race on Saturday. Earlier on the program, Wired 440, second by a nose in the Ruidoso Futurity and fourth in the Rainbow Futurity, starts in the seventh race.

Lets Leave and Wired 440 are trained by Eric Valenzuela. Wired 440 is well-named. Before each of the futurities, the rambunctious gelding has been dismounted behind the gate in an effort to settle his nerves.

Sunday’s 15-race program includes six trials for the All American Oaks for 3-year-old fillies, and nine trials for the All American Derby. Both races are run at 440 yards.

Three of the leading runners in the Oaks trials are Ezee Money, who won the Rainbow Oaks on July 15; Jes An Angel, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2022; and Cartel Kisses, who won the Los Alamitos Oaks in March. Jes an Angel and Cartel Kisses were fourth and fifth in the Rainbow Oaks.

The All American Derby trials are led by Hes Judgeandjury, winner of the 2022 All American Futurity and the champion 2-year-old gelding last year; Cyber Attack, the champion 2-year-old colt and overall 2-year-old champion of 2022; and Sicario V, who won the Rainbow Derby on July 15.

Cyber Attack won the Ruidoso Futurity in June, and was second in the Rainbow Derby.

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