Cyber Monday puts unbeaten record on line in Rainbow Futurity

A trio of 2-year-olds will be putting win streaks on the line Sunday in the Grade 1, $1 million Rainbow Futurity at Ruidoso Downs, and the most accomplished of the group is Cyber Monday.

He won the first leg of the track’s triple crown series for Quarter Horses, the Grade 1 Ruidoso Futurity on June 7. The Rainbow is the middle offering, followed by the All American Futurity on Sept. 7.

Cyber Monday is undefeated in three career starts, as is Whistle Stop Cafe, winner of the Heritage Place Juvenile at Remington Park, and Seven. They are part of a field of 10 for the 400-yard finale, which rewards its first-place finisher with a check of $420,000.

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Cyber Monday was the second-fastest qualifier on Day 1 of trials for the Rainbow. He covered 400 yards in 19.83 seconds, winning by three-quarters of a length under regular rider Sergio Becerra Jr.

“In the trial, he kind of didn’t break,” said Sergio Ibarra, who trains Cyber Monday for L O S and Abelardo Gallegos. “Sergio said he wanted to get going and slipped there in the gates. He pushed through.

“There were crosswinds. We still ran a pretty quick time. Up here in Ruidoso, you’re running against time – and the elements. It changes from race to race.”

Cyber Monday is a son of the Favorite Trick stallion Favorite Cartel. He was a half-length winner of his trial for the Ruidoso Futurity in his career debut May 23, then came back and won the finale by the same margin.

“He’s an above-average 2-year-old,” Ibarra said. “He’s very smart, very talented, and he proved that early, while we were breaking him.

“He’s an athlete, and when you look at him it’s like looking at a race car. He’s well built, well proportioned. He’s very muscular, very wide.”

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Cyber Monday will break from the rail in the Rainbow.

“When that overnight came out and I saw the one-hole, I said, ‘It’s doable,’ but I do have some concerns,” Ibarra said. “Hopefully, we don’t get forced into the rail – he can break on top. In the one-hole, you get loaded first and have to sit there for a while.

“It is what it is.”

Mister Illusion was the fastest qualifier on Day 1 of the Rainbow trials, winning his career debut by two lengths in 19.78. The fastest overall qualifier came on Day 2. Wryker added blinkers for his trial and won in 19.52 by 1 1/4 lengths. Both races were run on fast tracks.

The card Sunday also includes the $100,000 Rainbow Juvenile, which is the consolation for the Rainbow Futurity. The races are scheduled to be broadcast live on The Cowboy Channel. There is limited occupancy ontrack due to state restrictions brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. The Rainbow Futurity goes as the 10th race and has a scheduled post of 5:10 p.m. Mountain.