The All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs is the richest race in the country for Quarter Horses, and it could be won by a horse with Thoroughbred blood in their veins.
The trials for the $3-million race take place on Friday and Saturday, and seven entries over the course of the 30 trials have a Thoroughbred sire or dam. The American Quarter Horse Association allows half-Thoroughbred runners, known as “appendix horses,” to compete in races, with certain restrictions on their breeding careers to maintain AQHA registration.
Thoroughbred stallions as notable as Storm Cat and Alydar have sired Quarter Horse runners, and Spendthrift Farm advertised Into Mischief and Mitole for Quarter Horse breedings in 2020. The AQHA features several full-blooded Thoroughbreds in its Hall of Fame who had an impact on the breed.
Following is a list of the half-Thoroughbred appendix horses in the All American Futurity trials, with pedigree notes for each entry's Thoroughbred parent. The Thoroughbred half of each runner's pedigree will be in all-caps.
Friday, August 20
Race 2
#5 Lukka
Br. c., FAVORITE TRICK x Jess a Cartel
Breeder: Bobby Simmons (TX)
Favorite Trick, Thoroughbred racing's Horse of the Year in 1997, is one of the most successful Quarter Horse sires of the past two decades. After beginning his stud career in Kentucky, Favorite Trick was eventually moved to JEH Stallion Station in New Mexico, where his sturdy frame and elite sprinting ability made him a candidate to try crossing with the breed.
The stallion died in a barn fire less than a year after arriving in New Mexico, but because Quarter Horse racing allows for artificial insemination, JEH Stallion Station was able to collect semen to freeze and use for years to come. Had he strictly been covering Thoroughbreds, Favorite Trick would have only been able to cover mares in-person, and his final crop would have been born in 2007.
Favorite Trick has sired a pair of champion Quarter Horses, in $1.4-million earner Good Reason SA and champion distance horse Prankster CF. He's also the sire of Grade 1 winner Favorite Cartel.
Race 5
#6 Conant Valley
Br. g., One Famous Eagle x CLUSTER OF STARS
Breeder: McColee Land & Livestock (UT)
Cluster of Stars was a perfect seven-for-seven during her on-track career, including victories in the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom Handicap at Belmont Park and the G2 Distaff Handicap at Aqueduct. The daughter of Greeley's Galaxy was named New York-bred Horse of the Year in 2013.
She had one Thoroughbred foal in 2015, a winning Graydar filly named Kenzie, before exclusively producing appendix foals.
The best of her 12 starters to date is Valiant Stars, a 3-year-old daughter of Valiant Hero who finished second in this year's G1 Ruidoso Derby.
Race 8
#8 Double Duty
Ch. f., A Revenant x BRICKYARD LANE
Breeder: D Hubbard & Lee Lewis (TX)
Brickyard Lane, a New Mexico-bred daughter of Devon Lane, won one of five career starts, all at Sunland Park.
She has been bred to a mix of Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses in the Southwest, but her three foals that were successfully carried to term have all been Quarter Horses. Double Duty is by far her best runner to date, with a third-place effort in the G1 Rainbow Futurity.
Race 11
#9 One Famous Trick
Br. c., FAVORITE TRICK x One Famous Surfer
Breeder: Darling Farms (OK)
While his long-term legacy is in the Quarter Horses, Favorite Trick's best Thoroughbred runners include Grade 3 winners Datrick and Trick's Pick, Grade 2-placed Sum Trick, and Australian Group 3-placed French Favorite.
In addition to being the sire of two runners in the All American Futurity trials, Favorite Trick is also the paternal grandsire of 19 additional trial runners over the two days through sons Favorite Cartel and Good Reason SA.
Race 13
#8 The Stars of Corona
B. f., Corona Cartel x CLUSTER OF STARS
Breeder: McColee Land & Livestock (UT)
Because Quarter Horse racing permits embryo transfer, as opposed the stricter Thoroughbred side, Cluster of Stars is able to have multiple foals per year through surrogate mares. She has produced three or more foals each year since 2017.
The 2019 crop that produced The Stars of Corona and Conant Valley also includes the Corona Cartel colt Next Galaxy and the One Famous Eagle gelding Irwin.
Saturday, August 21
Race 4
#7 Ryder Lee
Gr. g., TOO MUCH BLING x Backwoods Bar B
Breeder: Rio Rojo Racing Stables (TX)
Like Favorite Trick, Too Much Bling was a successful sprinter. Unlike Favorite Trick, he is much better know at stud for his work on the Thoroughbred side of the aisle.
The son of Rubiano entered stud at Lane's End Texas in 2007, and has remained in the state since then. His Thoroughbred exploits include siring regional stars Direct Dial and Texas Bling.
Too Much Bling has just five registered Quarter Horse foals, and Ryder Lee is his lone winner, having taken a Ruidoso Downs maiden race on July 23.
Race 7
#9 Riii de Axe
Gr. f., Howdoyalikemesofar x STORMINTHEMORNING
Breeder: Rafter 3 Holdings (SK)
Storminthemorning is an unraced North Dakota-bred daughter of Category Five. Riii de Axe is her first foal of either breed, and she is unplaced in two starts. The mare produced a colt by the same stallion in 2020.
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