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Fincher-Trained Trio Lead Saturday’s Mountain Top Thoroughbred Futurity

Ty Wyant
For Ruidoso Downs
Storm The Beach (No. 1) got the narrow win over On The Low Down in their Mountain Top Futurity trial.

RUIDOSO DOWNS — A trio of Todd Fincher-trained two-year-olds — headed by 3-1 morning-line favorite On The Low Down — head the $141,382 Mountain Top Thoroughbred Futurity over five furlongs on Saturday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.

First post time is 1 p.m. with the Mountain Top Thoroughbred Futurity set as the ninth race on the 10-race program. There is always free parking and free general admission at Ruidoso Downs.

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Owned by Dale Taylor, Bobby J. McQueen and Suzanne Kelly, On The Low Down just missed winning his Mountain Top Thoroughbred Futurity trial, however was awarded the morning-line favorite role on the strength of his win in the $147,196 Copper Top Futurity at Sunland Park back in April. The gelded son of Dome took the lead in the stretch and went on to win the four-and-one-half furlong test by one-and-one-quarter lengths. A $43,000 Ruidoso yearling sale purchase, On The Low Down has earned $76,436 from his three career starts.

The Mountain Top Thoroughbred Futurity winner receives $70,691.

The top three finishers in each of the five-furlong Mountain Top Thoroughbred Futurity trials were assured a spot in the finals.

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In his Mountain Top Thoroughbred Futurity trial, On The Low Down battled with J&S M Inc.’s Storm The Beach through the stretch with Storm The Beach gaining a nose win and each horse gaining a place in the Mountain Top Thoroughbred Futurity.

On The Low Down starts from the outside post position in the five-furlong Mountain Top Thoroughbred Futurity with Tracy Hebert aboard.

Storm The Beach, a gelding sired by Attila’s Storm, gained his second win from three starts in the Mountain Top Thoroughbred Futurity trial. The Fred Danley-trained Storm The Beach finished third behind On The Low Down in the Copper Top Futurity.

A $28,000 Ruidoso sale purchase, Storm The Beach drew the third post position with Enrique Portillo Gomez aboard.

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Joining On The Low Down from the Fincher stable are Gone Shopping and Western Style, who each made their first starts in the Mountain Top Thoroughbred Futurity trials.

Gone Shopping rallied for a second-place finish while Western Style, an $80,000 Ruidoso Sale purchase, grabbed a third-place finish with a late run.

Bobby McQueen and Dale Taylor’s Gone Shopping has the inside post position with Alfredo Juarez in the saddle.

Owned by R.D. Hubbard, Derrol Hubbard, Joe Dee Brooks and Scott Bryant, Western Style starts from the second post position with Roimes Chirinos aboard.

Solitaire Stable and George Coleman’s Blazing Navarone is two-for-two and a strong threat in the Mountain Top Thoroughbred Futurity. He won his maiden in his first start and then took his Mountain Top Thoroughbred Futurity trial with an easy one-and-one-half length score.

The Henry Dominguez-trained Blazing Navarone has Frank Reyes riding with the seventh post position.

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