FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Explosive Mine Impresses Friday With Ruidoso Sale Futurity Trial Win
RUIDOSO DOWNS, New Mexico (June 5, 2009) – Copper Top Futurity winner Explosive Mine remained undefeated from three starts with a race-controlling win in the first of three trials to the Ruidoso Thoroughbred Sale Futurity on Friday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.
The qualifiers from the five-furlong trials for New Mexico-bred two-year-olds return for the finals on June 12. The top three finishers from each trial become eligible and the 10th qualifier is determined from a draw between the three fourth-place trial finishers.
Jockey Isaias Enriquez hustled Explosive Mine, the 1-5 favorite, to the lead and his rivals pulled to within striking distance on the turn. The son of Ghostly Moves then reasserted his superiority in the final furlong to win by one-half length with a :58.92 time. Glory Be Mine and Train Rider Blues followed him under the wire in qualify for the futurity.
Trained by J. Michael Welch, Explosive Mine established himself as the leader in the New Mexico-bred juvenile division when he won the Copper Top Futurity by one-and-a-half lengths on April 18 at Sunland Park.
In the second trial, the seventh race, E.D. Calvert’s Wild Time Tonight benefited from a well-timed ride by Joe Martinez to draw out to a three-and-three-quarter-length win in 1:00.79. The late-running Side Car was second and pacesetting Desert Tap finished third, each reaching the futurity field.
The Henry Dominguez-trained Wild Time Tonight, the 4-1 second choice, improved off a fourth-place run in his only other start. In that race he showed his kick, but encountered traffic issues.
In the third trial, the ninth race, longshot Mean Jean passed rivals in the stretch to win by two lengths in 1:01.67. She returned $39.00, $13.00 and $7.40. Shatrick was second and Desert Drone was third.
Mean Jean, ridden by Jorge Espita, came from next to last in the nine horse field. She moved around her competition on the turn and boldly rolled through the lane to win her career debut.
The fourth-place finishers who will comprise the random draw for the final qualifying berth are Reina de Cielo, Wild Time Tonight and Heliobull.
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