King of the Tide cashes in $3 million All American Futurity
Trainer Trey Wood became a third-generation All American Futurity victor at The Downs at Albuquerque on Monday when he saddled King of the Tide to win by a neck in the world’s richest quarter-horse race.
With Ricky Ramírez in the saddle, the New Mexico-bred by Eye Am King bested previously undefeated Political Twist and earned a 97 speed index for a 440-yard clocking of 21.217 seconds. The gelding sent off as the second betting choice at 4-1 earned $1.5 million of the $3 million purse. Wood joined his father Blane and grandfather Leo as members of the exclusive club of conditioners to win the Grade 1 race.
A $130,000 yearling purchase at the Ruidoso New Mexico-bred sale, King of the Tide runs for owners Gene Bradley, Tod Bradley and Ware Brown. He was bred by MJ Farms, recently honored as the American Quarter Horse Association champion breeder for 2024. He is out of stakes-winning Ocean Runaway mare Ms Riptide, who also produced 2019 All American Futurity runner-up Mister Riptide. King of the Tide’s sire Eye Am King is a son of Mr Jess Perry who stands at MJ Farms in New Mexico.
King of the Tide never has finished off the board in five career starts. He kicked off his career with a maiden victory at Sunland Park on March 29 and then he took a two-month break. After that he finished third in his trial and qualifying to the restricted, $346,008 Mountain Top Futurity (G2) at Ruidoso Downs, where he ran second by a head in the final. In his All American trial on Aug. 4, King of the Tide posted the fastest overall qualifying time of 21.001 seconds. His record is 5: 3-1-1 with earnings of $1,589,287.
La Feliz Montaña Ranch and Ray Willis’s Political Twist, the 3-5 favorite also bred in New Mexico by MJ Farms, just missed out on the victory and became a millionaire thanks to his runner-up finish with Luis Martínez up for trainer Xavier Rodríguez. The Apollitical jess gelding previously won the $1 million Ruidoso Futurity (G1) and $365,271 West Texas Futurity (G2). He has earned $1,059,017 from a record of 6: 5-1-0.
Ricardo Ramírez’s Lethal Lobo, a Texas-bred Favorite Cartel gelding, finished third in his stakes debut with Noe Garcia Jr. in the saddle for trainer Wes Giles.
Envestor, Ajs Wingman, KJ Xquizit Jess, Dragon Link, The Diesel Train and Rovos Rail completed the order of finish. Dee Favorite Tacha was a vet scratch.
The All American card was held for the second year in a row at Albuquerque due to the flooding at Ruidoso Downs.