Unbeaten fillies Blaze to Glory, Dust Alert clash in Rio Grande Senorita

Blaze to Glory and Dust Alert, a pair of 2-year-old fillies unbeaten after two starts each, will clash Saturday in the $165,171 Rio Grande Senorita Thoroughbred Futurity for New Mexico-bred females at Ruidoso Downs.

Blaze to Glory dominated maidens and allowance sprinters to win her first two outings by a combined 9 3/4 lengths. Her dam, Glory Be Mine, won the 2009 edition of this 5 1/2-furlong stakes for trainer Todd Fincher.

Dust Alert has won her two outings by a combined 8 1/4 lengths for trainer Wes Martin, who is winning at a 32 percent clip this season.

If either of the unbeaten fillies fails to fire, the most likely upset candidates are trainer Henry Dominguez’s uncoupled pair of What a Flag and Rapping Mary.

The card also includes the Grade 2, $162,412 Zia Derby for New Mexico-bred 3-year-old Quarter Horses going 400 yards. The 10-horse field is topped by the filly Astica, who set a track record for 400 yards at The Downs at Albuquerque in May and posted the fastest qualifying time for the Zia Derby of 19.59 seconds July 11.

Rio Grande Senorita (race 9)

Key contenders

Blaze to Glory (Last 2 Beyers: 52-53)

Strongest of a three-horse entry from top trainer Fincher, who won this race with Twixy Roll last year, with Comicsperfectstorm in 2010, and with Glory Be Mine in 2009.

Dust Alert (Last 2 Beyers: 48-57)

Showed grit in her second start when she surrendered the lead in midstretch, passed two horses, and drew clear by 1 3/4 lengths.

Rapping Mary (Last 3 Beyers: 34-48-45)

Won the Copper Top Futurity at Sunland Park in April before failing as the 7-5 favorite when making her first start in nearly three months.

What a Flag (Last 3 Beyers: 48-36-29)

Defeated winners for her first career victory last time out. Hails from the same connections – Dominguez and owners J. Kirk and Judy Robison – who combined to win this race in 2012 and 2013.

Zia Derby (race 4)

Key contenders

Astica

This filly seeks her fourth straight win and her second career stakes victory.

Memoryflash

Uncoupled stablemate of Astica, this colt posted the second-fastest qualifying time, winning his heat in 19.78. Trainer won the 2010 running of this stakes with Herekittykittykitty.

Hit With Force

Listed at 15-1 on the morning line despite posting the third-best qualifying time (19.81). Missed by a neck in a Grade 2 stakes in January at Sunland.