Rich stakes on tap at Retama, Ruidoso

Retama Park near San Antonio and Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico both have significant stakes coming up this week.

Retama on Friday night will run five stakes for Quarter Horses, including one that drew past world champion Jrc Callas First. The track’s card on Saturday night features the $479,196 TQHA Sales Futurity and the $139,300 Retama Park Derby, both for Quarter Horses.

Retama is running a mixed meet this year, and its first races for Thoroughbreds are scheduled for Tuesday, July 31.

Ruidoso Downs puts on nine stakes for New Mexico-breds on Sunday as part of its annual Zia Festival, with five for Thoroughbreds and four for Quarter Horses. Each of the divisional stakes for Thoroughbreds carries a purse of $50,000, while the richest offering for Quarter Horses is the Zia Futurity worth $400,000. First post is 1 p.m. Mountain.