Hezgothelook Z will have chance to make history in All American Futurity

The 2-year-old gelding Hezgothelook Z may be on the verge of a unique accomplishment in Quarter Horse history.

Hezgothelook Z won the Ruidoso and Rainbow futurities at Ruidoso Downs in Southern New Mexico in recent months, and is among 10 qualifiers for the $3 million All American Futurity at The Downs at Albuquerque on Sept. 2 after winning a time trial on Friday.

Should Hezgothelook Z win the All American Futurity, he would become the second horse in history to sweep the three futurities. Special Effort accomplished the milestone in 1981, winning the three races at Ruidoso Downs.

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The All American Futurity, the world’s richest Quarter Horse race, is typically held at Ruidoso Downs, but was moved to Albuquerque this year after a series of floods caused by runoff from mountain wildfires repeatedly damaged the Ruidoso Downs racetrack in late June and July.

The Ruidoso Downs meeting was moved to Albuquerque in late July.

Hezgothelook Z was the smart winner of a 440-yard time trial on Friday in 21.10 seconds, the second-fastest qualifying time of the day. The five fastest finishers from 14 trials on Friday and Saturday earned qualifying berths for the final.

Hezgothelook Z won his fifth consecutive start in the All American Futurity trial. Owned by Triple One Ranch and trained by Toby Keeton, Hezgothelook Z has won each of those races by at least three-quarters of a length.

Jockey Bryan Candanosa has been aboard for the five wins.

Ariatt, a gelding trained by Xavier Rodriguez, set the fastest qualifying time of 20.97 seconds on Friday, winning the day’s fifth race. The All American will be Ariatt’s stakes debut.

On Saturday, Brink Man V, third in the Ruidoso Futurity on June 9, set the day’s fastest qualifying time, winning the 13th trial in 21.36 seconds. The five qualifiers on Saturday ran in the seventh trial or later. The program began on a muddy track. Conditions improved through the afternoon. The track was rated good by the sixth race and fast by the 11th race.

The undefeated colt Kempton won a division of Saturday’s trials in 21.47 seconds, securing a spot in the final. Kempton, who was supplemented to the All American Futurity trials earlier this month for a stout $50,000, won the $1.08 million Heritage Place Futurity at Remington Park on June 1.

On Sunday, Cowboys Gun Z, winner of the 2023 All American Futurity, qualified for the $700,000 All American Derby on Sept. 2 by winning a 440-yard trial in 21.07 seconds, his first win in three starts this year.

Vegas Trick, fifth in the Ruidoso Derby at Ruidoso Downs on June 8 after a slow start, set the fastest qualifying time of 20.96 seconds, winning the fourth of eight trials.

Earlier on Sunday’s program, Tempting Scout, third in the Heritage Place Oaks on June 1, ran 440 yards in 21.04 seconds to establish the fastest qualifying time for the $500,000 All American Oaks for 3-year-old fillies on Sept. 2.

Tempting Scout is trained by Heath Taylor for Sammy Valeriano. They also qualified Running to the Moon, who was second in the Heritage Place Oaks and won the Rainbow Oaks at Albuquerque on July 28. Running to the Moon won a trial on Sunday in 21.27 seconds.

The Sept. 2 program will include the $250,000 All American Gold Cup at 440 yards, which did not have time trials.

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