Hialeah Park: Muniz high on trio for Hialeah Futurity

The numbers are stacked in trainer Brandon Muniz’s favor for the richest Quarter Horse race ever run at Hialeah Park.

Muniz, Hialeah’s leading trainer last season and tied for first coming into this weekend at the current meet, has three of the 10 finalists, including fastest qualifier Jz Zoomin Cuervo, for Sunday’s $409,250 Hialeah Futurity.

The 440-yard Futurity goes as race 8 on a nine-race card that includes three other stakes – the $200,000 Hialeah Derby, $40,000 Hialeah El Nino Invitational, and the $30,000 Hialeah Sophomore Invitational.

In addition to Jz Zoomin Cuervo, who won his heat in 21.35 seconds, Muniz will send out trial winners Quick Dynasty and Big Time Jp.

Muniz said he likes the chances of all three of his runners.

“Jz Zoomin Cuervo is doing awesome,” Muniz said. “He’s getting back into shape and he really needed that last race after having some time off and traveling from Oklahoma to Florida.

“Quick Dynasty has been training well for me all year,” Muniz added. “Big Time Jp, out of all three, really needed his last race the most. He got a little tired around 400 yards, but he should be much more fit with that one under his belt.”

Jesse Levario, who rode all three of Muniz’s trial heat winners, has chosen to stick with Jz Zoomin Cuervo, who will break from post 8. Roman Chapa picks up the mount on the 2-for-5 Big Time Jp in post 10. Quick Dynasty will break from the rail under G.R. Carter Jr.

◗ Dash Master Jess, who dominated his trial heat by 2 1/4 lengths in 21.35 seconds while running into a headwind, heads a field of 10 3-year-olds in the 440-yard Hialeah Derby (race 7). He is a five-time winner this season, including his maiden at Hialeah last January.

“He’s doing really well. He came back from his trial win pretty good,” trainer Rolando Almanza said. “If he runs like he did that day, he’ll be tough again.”