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MS FIRST PRIZE ROSE LEADS WOOD ONE-TWO IN FIRST $1 MILLION RUNNING OF RAINBOW FUTURITY
Ms First Prize Rose (#2) noses out Belle Helene (inside rail) to win the first ever $1 million Rainbow Futurity(G1) at Ruidoso Downs on Sunday.
© Coady PhotographyRUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—JULY 21, 2013—Johnny Trotter and Burnett Ranches, Ltd.’s Ms First Prize Rose battled with stable mare Belle Helene and gave trainer Blane Wood a one-two finish in the 50th running of the Grade 1, $1 million Rainbow Futurity at Ruidoso Downs on Sunday afternoon.
This was the first Rainbow Futurity with a $1 million purse, surpassing the previous $700,000 record purse set in 2011 and 2012.
“She got away a little slow. She was quicker in her trial,” said winning rider Ricky Ramirez. “Belle Helene had a length on me, but she really came on.”
Ms First Prize Rose scored a nose win in :19.540 for the 400 yards. Belle Helene was clocked in :19.550. It was just a neck between runner-up Belle Helene and third-place finisher Potenzza. Three noses, a head and two necks separated the top seven finishers in a true quarter-horse blanket finish.
Bred in Oklahoma by Weetona Stanley and W.E. Smith, the Corona Cartel filly was a $170,0000 Heritage Place September yearling.
“She is truly an exceptional individual,” said co-owner Trotter. “We’re in it for the long haul and she has a great family.” Her dam, First Carolina, won the Grade 1 Heritage Place Futurity and First Carolina’s dam is 2006 Broodmare of the Year First Prize Dash, a sister to world champion and all-time leading sire First Down Dash. First Carolina is also the dam of 2013 Remington Park Oklahoma-bred Futurity winner Coronado Cartel and 2013 Firecracker Futurity runner-up Itea.
The Guthrie, Texas-based 6666 Ranch, with the same ownership as Burnett Ranches, has one of the most potent stallion lineups in quarter horse racing and Ms First Prize Rose will eventually be bred to the 6666’s top stallions, probably including leading sire One Famous Eagle.
Trotter and Dr. Glenn Blodgett, manager of the horses operation at the 6666 Ranch and Burnett Ranches, are each members of the five-member American Quarter Horse Association executive committee.
The one-two finish for trainer Wood continues a sizzling summer for the conditioner and his two-year-olds seem to be peaking at the right time with the trials to the Grade 1, $2.6 million All American Futurity coming on August 15-16. He won eight trials to the Grade 1, $750,000 Ruidoso Futurity, his Sam Houston Futurity winner Especially Tres nearly broke the 350-yard Ruidoso Downs’ track record on Friday and he has Grade 1, $1,075,260 Heritage Place Futurity winner Big Biz Perry stabled in his barn.
Completing the rich Rainbow Futurity field were Carters Disco, Reagal Eagle, Regard The Cartel, Rocked Up, Bp Its My Policy, Chief Tistarosa B and Grc Jusplainazoom.