El Huracano V finishes fast to win Rainbow Futurity
El Huracano V confirmed his status among the nation’s leading 2-year-old Quarter Horses with his first stakes win in Sunday’s $1 million Rainbow Futurity at the Downs at Albuquerque.
Ridden by Francisco Calderon, El Huracano V, who paid $6.40 as the favorite, broke well from post 9 but trailed early leader Blueyy after 100 yards. El Huracano V dominated the 400-yard race in the last 150 yards, winning by three-quarters of a length over 21-1 Think Twice Perry.
Blueyy (14-1) faded to third, beaten a head by Think Twice Perry, in the field of 10.
El Huracano V was timed in 19.18 seconds and earned $420,000 for owner Sam Valeriano. Trained by Raymond Valerio, El Huracano V has won 3 of 5 starts and earned $632,670. He was second in the $1.15 million Heritage Place Futurity at Remington Park on May 30 in his first appearance in a stakes.
In a division of the time trials for the Rainbow Futurity on June 26, El Huracano V won by three lengths, setting the third-fastest time from 15 trials that day. The five quickest runners from each of the two days of trials advanced to Sunday’s final.
El Huracano V, a gelding by Golden Boi, was bred by Valeriano in Oklahoma.
El Huracano V is nominated to the $3 million All American Futurity at 440 yards, which has time trials on Aug. 7-8 and a final on Sept. 7.
The Rainbow Futurity was the richest of three major Quarter Horse stakes at Albuquerque over the weekend.
On Saturday, Political Twist, the champion 2-year-old of 2025, won the $756,800 Rainbow Derby for 3-year-olds at 440 yards for his third stakes victory.
Ridden by Luis Martinez for trainer Daniel Ruiz Amaya, Political Twist, who paid $3.60 as the favorite, led throughout and won by a half-length over 2-1 Jarvis V.
Luziana Man (13-1) finished third by three-quarters of a length.
Political Twist was timed in 20.94 seconds. Last year, Political Twist won the West Texas Futurity at Sunland Park and Ruidoso Futurity at Ruidoso Downs, and was second in the All American Futurity.
He later finished a troubled seventh in the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity in December.
By Apollitical Jess, the gelding Political Twist has won 8 of 10 starts and earned $1,462,086.
Toby Sis, winner of the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity, won a formful running of Saturday’s $224,459 Rainbow Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at 440 yards.
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Ridden by Calderon for Valeriano and Valerio, Toby Sis ($3.60) led throughout the Rainbow Oaks, finishing three-quarters of a length in front of 11-10 Gf Shes Sinful, the winner of the $744,506 Ruidoso Derby against males on June 6.
Beuteeful, the third choice at 9-1, finished third in the Rainbow Oaks, beaten 3 1/4 lengths.
Toby Sis, who is by Favorite Cartel, was timed in 20.89 seconds. The Rainbow Oaks was her eighth win in 10 starts. She has earned $1,114,819.
The Rainbow series is typically run at Ruidoso Downs, but that southern New Mexico track’s meeting was transferred to Albuquerque earlier this year because of repeated floods that have struck the Ruidoso facility in recent summers.
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