First Valiant Sign connects at 31-1 in Ruidoso Futurity
First Valiant Sign pulled a 31-1 upset in the Grade 1, $750,000 Ruidoso Quarter Horse Futurity on Sunday, when he drove to a neck win in the first major race for 2-year-olds at the New Mexico meet. Jess Burnin finished second at 20-1, but was disqualified and placed 10th in a move that elevated third-place finisher Fine Oak Corona to second.
First Valiant Sign ($64.80) broke on top from the rail and dueled, while covering 350 yards in 17.31 seconds. The track was fast. Larry Payne was aboard for trainer Mike Joiner. First Valiant Sign races for the partnership of Scott Bryant, Joe Dee Brooks, Lee R. Lewis, and Derrol Hubbard.
First Valiant Sign earned $315,000 for the win.
The Ruidoso Futurity is part of a rich series that continues with the $1 million Rainbow Futurity and the $3 million All American Futurity. The horse who can sweep all three races earns a $4 million bonus for the series Ruidoso calls its Triple Crown.
“This is the year of the Triple Crown,” said co-owner Derrol Hubbard. “You got to win the first one. We are very fortunate and very lucky.”
The last horse to win the Ruidoso Triple Crown was Special Effort in 1981, according to a release from Ruidoso.
In other weekend Quarter Horse stakes, Bf Farm Boss led trainer Paul Jones’s sweep of the top two spots in the Grade 1, $815,180 Ruidoso Quarter Horse Derby on Saturday, when he proved a neck best over stablemate Glock. It was another neck back in third to Jm Onfire.
Bf Farm Boss ($7) covered 400 yards on a track rated fast in 19.49 seconds. Ramon Sanchez was aboard for owners Donald and Peggy Boyles.
“About halfway through [the race] I knew I had it won,” said Sanchez.
Bf Farm Boss is a full brother to Strawkins, a champion who also raced for the Boyles.
The next race plans for Bf Farm Boss are to be determined. He is not nominated to the next major race for 3-year-olds at Ruidoso, the Grade 1, $1 million Rainbow Derby, but could be supplemented to the July 5 trials for $40,000, according to a release from Ruidoso.
Glock races for Paul Blanchard.
Jensen injured, hospitalized
Jockey Cody Jensen fractured a single vertebrae and six ribs in a morning training accident on Friday, according to a release from Ruidoso Downs. He spent the night in a local hospital and then on Saturday was transported to the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque.
Jensen was injured when a horse he was on behind the starting gate flipped and fell on him, according to the release. Jensen had mounts in both the Ruidoso Derby and Ruidoso Futurity. He won both races last year, and is an elite Quarter Horse jockey with more than $32 million in mount earnings since 1993.