Ivan James top threat among Sanchez-trained foursome

Ivan James will lead a four-horse team of Angel Sanchez-trained starters in Saturday night’s Grade 2, $621,100 Sam Houston Futurity for Quarter Horses. The 330-yard race is the richest offering of the Sam Houston meet and will share a card with the Grade 3, $203,300 Sam Houston Derby.

Ivan James was the fastest qualifier for the Sam Houston Futurity after 19 trials for the race were held April 4. He covered 330 yards in 16.74 seconds, winning by two lengths. Sanchez’s other trial starters who locked up spots in the 10-horse Sam Houston Futurity were Miss Aguilar, Hi Hoppin, and Mighty Zapata.

“That was a great day for our barn,” Sanchez told the publicity department at Sam Houston. “All of the horses pulled up fine.”

Raul Ramirez Jr. rode Ivan James and will again be aboard the horse when he breaks from post 5 in the Sam Houston Futurity.

“I am pretty happy that we drew the 5 hole,” Ramirez told Sam Houston publicity. “I like my chances. I’ll just need God’s blessing and a little luck.”

Ramirez, 33, is seeking his first win in the Sam Houston Futurity. A brother, jockey Saul Ramirez, has won the race twice, in 1994 and 2010, and his cousin J.R. Ramirez once, in 2002.

The purse of this year’s Sam Houston Futurity is the largest in the history of the race, which was inaugurated in 1994.

◗ Moonin the Eagle will attempt to improve his record to 5 for 6 when he starts as the fastest qualifier in the Sam Houston Derby. A multiple stakes winner at Hialeah, he was a 2 1/4-length winner of his local trial April 3.

“I was just a little worried about him running for the first time under the lights, but he handled it fine,” trainer Rolando Almanza told officials with Sam Houston.