HORSE RACING
Storm surge: El Huracano floods Rainbow Futurity winner's circle
Toby Sis takes Rainbow Oaks, while Political Twist wins Rainbow Derby
The marquee outside the Expo New Mexico entrance read 100 degrees late Sunday afternoon as the quarter horses in the $1 million Rainbow Futurity approached the starting gate.
But by the time odds-on favorite El Huracano V thundered down the back stretch of the 400-yard race, owner Sammy Valeriano was feeling little heat.
Closing fast, El Huracano swept into the winner鈥檚 circle to give Valeriano and jockey Francisco Calderon a remarkable weekend in Albuquerque in the second leg of Ruidoso Downs Racetrack and Casino quarter horse Triple Crown series.
鈥淚t's a blessing. It's a dream come true, you know. But the best thing about it is, I got my wife and my two kids,鈥 Calderon said, waving to the beaming 4- and 8-year-old children. 鈥淚 do this for them, everything for them. And God. God, family, and horse racing.鈥
This is the third consecutive year the meet has been forced to move at least a portion of its schedule to Albuquerque. Only this time around, it鈥檚 for the entire season. Ruidoso鈥檚 facilities remain shuttered following the Salt and South Fork fires of 2024, and the ensuing flooding that year and in 2025.
This is the second-biggest weekend of Ruidoso鈥檚 quarter horse racing season, trailing only Labor Day Weekend鈥檚 All American Futurity.
And it鈥檚 one that Valeriano and Calderon will remember for quite some time.
On Saturday, Calderon had guided Toby Sis home first in the $534,426 Rainbow Oaks. In the weekend鈥檚 other big race, Political Twist, ridden by Luis Martinez, took the $756,299 Rainbow Derby.
The weekend wins come on the heels of Calderon riding Highly Lethal V to the $1 million Ruidoso Futurity in June.
鈥淚 couldn't ask for anything better,鈥 Valeriano said. 鈥淚 mean, like I say, I've been blessed by the good Lord. (I want to) thank my jockey, thank my trainer (Raymond Valerio), the team, the grooms. ... It's not just one individual; it's a team.鈥
After giving him a grueling push through the trials leading up to the Rainbow, Calderon said El Huracano was in good spirits from the outset after starting on the ninth gate in the 10-horse field.
鈥淗e left (the gate) really sharp,鈥 Calderon said. 鈥淗opped a little bit, but lifted really good. I kind of asked a lot of him in the trials. This time, kind of not really because in the trial he kind of greened (showed inexperience) on me. I don't know if I asked too much, but (Sunday) he was different, and thank God he got the win.
鈥淗e's just pretty consistent. He's not big, but he really tries every time. He didn't show a lot, but when it comes down to it from gate to wire, that's all he has to show.鈥
Now the jockey will have to decide which of the mounts he prefers to ride approaching the All American.
鈥淚 don't know. I think they're both great horses,鈥 Calderon said. 鈥淭hey just both won million-dollar races, but it's gonna be tough. That's all I got to say.鈥