Hialeah: Jz Zoomin Cuervo leads qualifiers for Hialeah Futurity

Trainer Brandon Muniz and jockey Jesse Levario made a huge impact on Saturday’s trials for the $409,250 Hialeah Futurity for Quarter Horses at Hialeah Park by teaming up to earn three of the 10 berths for the Dec. 29 race, including fastest qualifier Jz Zoomin Cuervo.

Overall, Muniz, the leading trainer at last season's meet, and Levario won five of the eight races on the program.

Jz Zoomin Cuervo covered 440 yards in 21.357 seconds to prevail by three-quarters of a length over first-time starter Jz Fast Boy, who was timed in 21.489 seconds. Although the winner, an Oklahoma-bred gelding who was exiting a third-place finish in the Black Gold Futurity at Will Rogers Downs, bore out near the finish, a stewards’ inquiry did not alter the order of finish.

The top two finishers in that first of seven trials, along with the 3-4 finishers, Oldsmobile Hill (21.496) and Pappasinthehouse (21.693) all qualified for the Dec. 29 finale, as did the top three finishers in the final trial heat, led by winner Pyc First Prize Fany (21.429).

In addition to Jz Zooming Cuervo, Muniz qualified with heat winners Quick Dynasty (21.608) and Big Time Jp (21.684).