FARMINGTON – A field of 10 statebred quarter horses will head into the starting gate Saturday at SunRay Park and Casino, each of them looking for their first career stakes victory in the New Mexico Breeders’ Futurity.
Worth $238,363 in purse money, the 350-yard test will go as the 10th and final race on a card which also will be highlighted by the Four Corners Futurity, for open quarter horses from across the southwest.
The pair of Saturday stakes races will be followed by a pair of thoroughbred stakes on Sunday’s card, capping off the final day of the 2026 racing season.
Trainer Eric Valenzuela will send Big Ted to the starting gate as the fastest qualifier for the New Mexico Breeders’ Futurity, which has a scheduled post time of 5:35 p.m.
Slated to be ridden by Jordy Muniz, Big Ted earned the role of fastest qualifier when trials for the New Mexico Breeders Futurity were held here April 24. He won his trial heat by 1 1/4 lengths and stopped the clock in a time of 17.21 seconds.
Valenzuela, currently in a tie for second place in the quarter horse trainer standings at SunRay Park, topped the standings with 16 winners at the Sunland Park season, which wrapped up earlier last month.
Big Ted is one of two likely starters for Valenzuela in the New Mexico Breeders’ Futurity. He also saddled Super Patriot to a win in his trial heat, which earned him the 10th fastest qualifying position.
Drawn in the outside post in the New Mexico Breeders Futurity, Big Ted will be looking for his third from four lifetime starts. He was third in the New Mexican Spring Futurity two starts back and has already earned more than $54,000.
Trainer Wes Giles will also have a pair of starters in the New Mexico Breeders Futurity. King of the Jingle, third fastest qualifier and Thats Amoree, sixth fastest qualifier and winners of their respective trial heats.
King of the Jingle will be making his third start over the course this season. He ran second on April 10, opening day of the current season before winning his trial heat. With Luis Valenzuela slated to ride, King of the Jingle will break from post five.
Thats Amoree won his trial by nearly two lengths and will be ridden by Noe Garcia from post seven.
Sunday’s card will be highlighted by a pair of thoroughbred stakes races. Corrina Corrina headlines a field of 10 in the $75,000 San Juan County Commissioners Stakes while trainers Dick Cappellucci and Todd Fincher each saddle three starters in the $70,000 C.O. Kendrick Stakes.
Saturday and Sunday mark the final two days of the SunRay Park season. Live racing in New Mexico resumes at Albuquerque Downs, which will be hosting the 2026 Ruidoso Downs season with opening day scheduled for Friday, May 22.