'Meter Me' is fastest in Futurity

Gerald Reed's Meter Me Rockin brings surprising fastest-qualifier status into the finals of the Grade 1, $430,788 Ruidoso Futurity at Ruidoso Downs on Sunday afternoon.

The Ruidoso Futurity is first of three Grade 1 futurities at the New Mexico track. The Rainbow Futurity will be held on July 22, and the All American Futurity is on Labor Day. No horse has swept all three races since world champion Special Effort in 1981.

The Heath Reed-trained Meter Me Rockin was an upset winner of her Ruidoso Futurity trial on May 25 when she sped to a 1 3/4-length victory at 23-1 odds. Her time of 17.547 seconds for the 350 yards was the quickest from 14 trials.

Meter Me Rockin made her first two starts at Remington Park and was winless while never going off at odds shorter than 21-1. Her best finish was a second in her Remington Park Futurity trial.

Jack Evans Jr.'s Red Clay Of Texas should get a lot of wagering support in the Ruidoso Futurity after defeating four other horses that qualified for the finals in his trial.

From the Dwayne "Sleepy" Gilbreath stable, Red Clay Of Texas checked in with the second-fastest qualifying time of 17.565 seconds. Also reaching the finals from that trial were Flaming Kisses, First Thoughts, Shake A Spe-cial Star, and Sweet First Down.

The Grade 2, $78,621 Ruidoso Derby on Sunday brings together the winners of three important New Mexico stakes: Kendall Jackson, Stoli, and FightinJane.

Janis Spencer's Grade 3 West Texas Derby winner Kendall Jackson topped the qualifiers' list after winning his trial with a 19.863-second time for the 400 yards. He is riding a three-race winning streak, which includes his 3/4-length West Texas Derby win.

Jackie Spencer's Stoli won last year's West Texas Futurity and is the second-fastest qualifier to the Ruidoso Derby with a 19.946-second time.

Frannie Stewart's Fightin Jane won last year's Ruidoso Futurity but is winless in three starts since her Rainbow Futurity trial victory last July.