Sixes Down tries to give Keeton third straight TQHA Sale Futurity win

Trainer Toby Keeton will attack the two richest races of Retama Park’s meet for Quarter Horses on Saturday night, when he sends out Sixes Down in the $365,260 Texas Quarter Horse Association Sale Futurity and the fillies Echoes of Love and Won to Watch in the $173,700 Retama Park Derby.

The races are part of an 11-race program that begins at 6:45 p.m. Central.

Sixes Down is the highest earner in the TQHA Sale Futurity, a restricted 350-yard race for 2-year-olds. He won his trial by a half-length on July 11, his first start in two months. Luis Vivanco has the mount.

The chief rivals to Sixes Down, who is attempting to give Keeton his third straight win in the TQHA Sale Futurity, include:

– Grey Daze, the fastest qualifier for the series when she won her 350-yard trial by a nose in 17.89 seconds. It was the second career win for the horse, who is one of just four in the field to have multiple wins.

– Favorite Eagle made his career debut in the TQHA trials and showed excellent speed, breaking on top and finding himself up by a length on his rivals. He was overtaken late by Grey Daze, beaten a nose as the favorite, but accounted for the second-fastest qualifying time.

For the Retama Park Derby, the Keeton trainee Echoes of Love set the fastest qualifying time on July 12 when she won her 400-yard trial in 20.02 seconds. She will break from the rail under Vivanco. Won to Watch, who last year won the TQHA Sale Futurity, drew post 10. She was third in her trial, which was her first start since November and her targeted comeback race, according to Keeton.

Martha Claussen, part of the fan-education arm of the American Quarter Horse Association, will be at Retama on Saturday to answer racing-related questions. Claussen will turn 60 on Aug. 2 and has asked folks to celebrate with her by making a donation to the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund.

New Mexico-breds in festival

Ruidoso puts on its annual Zia Festival of New Mexico-bred stakes Saturday and Sunday. There are three notable Quarter Horse races on Saturday’s program, the richest being the $150,000 Zia Derby. The $50,000 Zia Handicap is for 3-year-olds and up at 400 yards, while a stakes at 870 yards also is worth $50,000. The $392,253 Zia Futurity at 400 yards is Sunday.