RUIDOSO DOWNS, New Mexico (May 25, 2019) — The two-year-old division depth of the Trey Wood stable at Ruidoso Downs was undeniable on Saturday afternoon with three of the five qualifiers to the Grade 1, $1 million (est.) Ruidoso Futurity coming from the Wood barn.
The three qualifiers were fastest-qualifier Fernweh, second-fastest qualifier Lil Miss Sashay and fourth-fastest qualifier Kiss Thru Fire. Each horse was making their career debut.
They join the Wood-trained fastest qualifier from Friday’s Ruidoso Futurity trials, Silk for My Hero V, in the Ruidoso Futurity on June 9.
The horses with the five-fastest times from the 14 trials held on Friday and the horses holding the five-fastest times from 14 trials conducted on Saturday comprise the Ruidoso Futurity field. The runners with the next five-fastest times on each trial day gained eligibility to run in the $100,000 Ruidoso Juvenile, also on June 9.
Racing resumes on Sunday at Ruidoso Downs with the 10 trials to the Grade 1, $957,483 Ruidoso Derby. The Wood barn will be led by 2018 All American Futurity winner Apocalyptical Jess, one of the three 2018 champion-two-year-olds racing in the 400-yard trials.
The impressive results of the Wood stable is a team effort. “I really think that we have the best team in the country,” Wood said. “It’s the whole crew. In my opinion, they are the best.
“We don’t have hobbies. This is what we do.”
Carry “Rusty” Allred’s Fernweh set the standard in the second trial when she raced the 350 yards in :17.560 to win by an impressive two-and-three-quarter lengths. Ricky Ramirez, the main jockey for the Wood stable, was aboard.
Fernweh, a $20,000 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale purchase, showed her potential when she raced to the fastest time on the first of three days of Ruidoso Downs training races on May 6.
A daughter of Favorite Cartel, Fernweh burst from the starting gate. “She kinda started looking at the crowd,” Ramirez said. “I switched (the riding crop) to my left hand and she took off.”
Mark and Annette McCloy’s Lil Miss Sashay came through with the second-fastest time of :17.807 in the fifth trial. She was bumped a few strides out of the gate and then reacted like an older horse and diligently drew out to the one-and-three-quarter-length win as the 17-10 favorite.
The Kiss My Hocks daughter was timed in :17.807 with Ramirez up.
The overwhelming majority of the Wood-trained two-year-olds begin their race training at the operation of Trey’s father Blane Wood in Lubbock, Texas. Lil Miss Sashay is a graduate of that program.
“She is almost as nice as the people who own her,” Blane Wood said after her trial win. “She is like a dream. She never makes a mistake and loves her job.”
Completing the three Wood wins was Gentry Farms’ homebred Kiss Thru Fire in the eighth trial.
The well-bred daughter of Walk Thru Fire and champion Fredaville was within striking distance early in the race and then dominated her rivals by one-and-three-quarter lengths at 23-1 odds. She was timed in :17.871.
Kiss Thru Fire was ridden by Tanner Thedford to the win.
“She’s a good filly and tries her heart out,” Thedford said. “She was a little green at the end, but she’ll get better.”
The other two qualifiers from Friday’s trials were Cartel Charly (:17.845) and Oatman Creek Senator (:17.875).
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