ZAMUDIO-TRAINED DUO OF REALLY CLASSIC AND GEKKO TOP CLAIMING FUTURITY TRIALS
Led by fastest qualifier Really Classic, trainer Valentin Zamudio saddled the two trial winners to the $53,100 Los Alamitos Claiming Futurity here on Sunday night.
Nineteen juveniles races in a pair of trials at 350 yards with the horses with the 10 fastest times returning here for the Claiming Futurity final on August 18. While horses are not able to be claimed in the trials, those that advance can be claimed for $16,000 each on the night of the 350-yard final.
The Zamudio-owned Really Classic won the second trial by a neck over the Ruidoso Downs returnee Show N Tell Cartel. The two dueled with each other the entire race with the Steve Burns-bred Fly Thru The Fire filly leading from start to finish. Collecting her second career victory, Reall A Classic covered the distance in the top time of :17.907.
“The filly is talented and the times in which she’s run bad are due to her having trouble leaving the gate,” Zamudio said. “Her previous win was a good victory. Then in her race prior to these trials she got bumped around. It’s just one of those things that happens.”
Fly Thru The Fire also sired the other trial winner, a gelding named Gekko (photo), which races for Jesus Avila and Jesus Cuevas. Gekko won his trial by an impressive 1 ¾ lengths while posting the second fastest qualifying time of :17.927.
“He has shown good ability in the past and he’s does better and better with each day that goes by,” Zamudio added. “This is a good race for this horse. The big futurities might be too tall of task for him but running in this type of race is a good opportunity for him. He’s shown a lot of heart in the past so we’re looking forward to seeing him in the final.”
Ruben Lozano, the track’s leading Quarter Horse jockey in 2021, piloted Really Classic and Gekko.
The complete list of qualifiers is as follows: Really Classic (:17.907), Gekko (:17.927). Show N Tell Cartel (:17.939), Fyrestorm (:18.038), Nevaeh West (:18.112), RR Fast Lew (:18.162), El Silencio Jnd (:18.241), Run Thru The Nite (:18.252), Last Best Show (18.277), and Bs Sweet Jess (:18.277).
-30-