Miss Hi Tide wins Mountain Top Derby
RUIDOSO DOWNS — Miss Hi Tide and jockey Adrian Ramos overcame a rough beginning to win the $175,258 Mountain Top Derby for 3-year-old New Mexico-bred quarter horses Saturday at Ruidoso Downs Race Track.
“I did my best to keep my filly calm and steady,” Ramos said in the winner’s circle. “The filly did a nice job overcoming the early trouble and then she really got going down the race track.”
Miss Hi Tide topped Wood Be Bad and jockey James Flores by one-length in a time of 17.667 seconds for 350 yards. The filly paid $21.80, $8.20 and $6 for a second career win for owner Ezra Lee and trainer Wes Giles.
“We’re going to point the filly toward the All American Oaks,” said Giles. Miss Hi Tide is sired by Woodridge out of the mare Ms Riptide by Ocean Runaway. In the 112,610 Maiden Stakes, Tres The Favorite and jockey Luis Martinez broke mid-pack and came from behind to edge longshot Bigg Picture by a neck in a time of 17.404 seconds for 350 yards. The stakes event was open to quarter horses that were still qualified as maidens as of March 1.
Tres The Favorite is a 3-year old owned by Jose Moreno and trained by David Gomez-Barraza. The gelding is sired by Favorite Cartel out of the mare Tres Times a Lady by Tres Seis. It is the gelding’s third consecutive win and paid $6, $4 and $2.40.
Racing continues on Sunday with the running of the $350,486 Mountain Top Futurity for 2-year-old New Mexico-bred quarter horses. First post time is 1 p.m.