Cyber Monday completes Ruidoso Futurity, Derby sweep for Ibarra

Cyber Monday ($22) ran a flawless race to win his stakes debut in Sunday’s $1 million Ruidoso Futurity at Ruidoso Downs, but was vanned off after being pulled up on the backstretch.

Ruidoso Downs general manager Jeff True said Cyber Monday was vanned off as precaution and was taken to the test barn.

“He pulled up tired,” True said. “Out of abundance of caution, he was given a ride home.”

Ridden by Sergio Becerra Jr., Cyber Monday finished a half-length in front of 5-1 Misscandymountain, who was a half-length in front of third-place finisher Jettz, the 8-5 favorite in a field of 10.

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Apollitical Redflash, the 9-2 second choice, had a troubled trip and finished ninth. Apollitical Redflash lunged to his right a stride away from the gate, essentially losing all chance.

Jettz was the only runner in the field of 10 with experience in a stakes, having finished fifth in the $891,900 Remington Park Oklahoma-Bred Futurity on April 18 at Remington Park.

Cyber Monday ran 350 yards in 17.61 seconds and gave trainer Sergio Ibarra a sweep of the two major stakes at Ruidoso Downs over the weekend. Saturday, the Ibarra-trained Hotsempting won the $887,880 Ruidoso Derby.

Cyber Monday, by Favorite Cartel, was purchased for $140,000 at the Ruidoso yearling sale last summer and races for Abelardo Gallegos and LOS LLC.

In time trials for the Ruidoso Futurity, Cyber Monday qualified with the third-fastest time with a victory on May 23 in the colt’s career debut.

The top five finishers from the trials on May 22 and 23 advanced to Sunday’s final.

The series of seven-figure futurities continues at Ruidoso Downs with the Rainbow Futurity on July 19 and the All American Futurity on Sept. 7.

Trainer Sanderson banned from Ruidoso

New Mexico trainer Janell Sanderson was banned from starting horses at Ruidoso Downs after five runners in her care tested positive for banned medication in recent out-of-competition tests, True said Sunday.

The decision takes effect immediately and will result in the withdrawal of three horses trained by Sanderson from the $359,069 Mountain Top Futurity at 350 yards for New Mexico-bred Quarter Horses on Saturday, True said.

The three horses – Cannelloni, Hatchi Zulu, and Lunas Glitterstar – were not among the five horses that tested positive recently for the bronchial dilator clenbuterol or the muscle-builder zilpaterol, he said.

Through Sunday, Sanderson had won six races from 24 starters since the start of the meeting on May 22.

True said trainers at Ruidoso Downs are allowed to have three positives in out-of-competition tests in a 12-month period before they are banned.