El Confidential stretches out for Ruidoso Derby

El Confidential will be making his two-turn debut in the $40,000 Ruidoso Derby, but he could go favored in the 1 1/16-mile race off his sharp form.

El Confidential has run first or second in his four starts. He’s also stakes-placed, and owns the field’s best last-race Beyer Figure. The test now is two turns, said Chris Hartman, who trains El Confidential.

“That’s what we’re trying to find out, if he can get the distance,” he said. “I don’t think he’ll have a problem with it, but we just haven’t had the opportunity to stretch him out.”

El Confidential last raced at Monmouth Park, finishing second by a head in a $50,000 claiming race at six furlongs. It went in a sharp time of 1:10.40, and he earned a career-best Beyer Figure of 79. Before that race, El Confidential won a 5 1/2-furlong allowance at Prairie Meadows and was second in the $50,000 KHEY Sprint at Sunland. He also won his maiden at Sunland in April.

Jorge Bourdieu has the mount for William Henderson.

Other top contenders include Train Rider Blues, who has won back-to-back New Mexico-bred stakes races in his last two starts, and Blue Memo, who took the $40,000 Norgor Derby at Ruidoso in May.

The Ruidoso Derby will kick off the track’s richest weekend of racing. The stakes action continues Sunday with the $1.5 million All American Derby for Quarter Horses and Monday with the $2 million All American Futurity for Quarter Horses.