Streakin Don tops five Rainbow Derby trials

Streakin Down will begin his bid for a second major stakes win on Friday, when he starts in the third of five trial races for the Grade 1, $800,000 Rainbow Derby for Quarter Horses at Ruidoso. The 10 fastest qualifiers will advance to the finals on July 24.

Streakin Down was a one-length winner of the Grade 1 Heritage Place Derby at Remington Park in his last start May 29. He has raced once at Ruidoso, winning a trial at the track last July. Jimmy Brooks has the mount on Streakin Down for trainer Eddie Willis. Others making up the field for the fifth race include First Klas Fred, who won last year's Grade 1 Ruidoso Futurity.

The 440-yard trials begin with the third race, which drew Zoomin With Ease, the winner of last year's Grade 1 Rainbow Futurity, as well as Swingin Daddyo and Sir Seth, who were second and third last out in the Grade 1 Ruidoso Derby, and Templar Knight, winner of the Grade 2 Sunland Winter Futurity in December.

Love Samba, the favorite in last year's All American Futurity, runs in the fourth race, while Shesa First Ratify, who was the runner-up in last year's All American, goes in the seventh race Friday.

* Runnning Brook Gal, who won the All American Futurity, is nearing a return to the races, said her trainer, Paul Jones. She has been working at Ruidoso. Jones said longterm stakes goals for her are the Grade 1, $1.5 million All American Derby at Ruidoso on Sept. 6, and the Grade 1, $1 million Los Alamitos Super Derby on Nov. 6.