For immediate release                            Contact:     Tim Keithley
                                                                                        575-937-4708
Sunday, July 12, 2026                                  tkeithley@raceruidoso.com

TRIPLE CROWN REPORT Presented by:

El Huracano V With Jockey Francisco Calderon Wins $1 Million Rainbow Futurity At Downs of Albuquerque

(Albuquerque, NM) El Huracano V and jockey Francisco Calderon broke quickly on the outside and held off a late run by Think Twice Perry and jockey Edwin Escobedo by three-quarters of a length to win the $1 million Rainbow Futurity for two-year-old quarter horses at the Downs of Albuquerque Sunday in a 400-yard time of 19.185 seconds.

Calderon and Owner Sammy Valeriano have won the first two legs of quarter horse racing’s Triple Crown this year with different horses. They teamed up to win the $1 million Ruidoso Futurity with Highly Lethan V on June 7, and chose to skip the Rainbow with that runner. Both Grade-1 winners are eligible to race in the trials for the $3 million All American Futurity August 7-8.

“He left really sharp today,” Calderon said. “I asked him for a lot in the trials and he acted a little green, but today was completely different. I was impressed with his performance.”

The gelding is sired by Golden Boi out of the mare Bellissima Chocolata (Valiant Hero), and paid $6.40, $4.00 and $3.20. An Oklahoma homebred by Valeriano, El Huracano V is trained by Raymond Valerio.

In the $100,000 Rainbow Juvenile, Jess a Bad Lil Cat and jockey Oscar Andrade Jr. remained undefeated in three career races by winning by three-quarters of a length in a time of 19.139 seconds for 400-yards, faster than the winning time in the Rainbow Futurity.

The New Mexico-bred gelding is owned by Scott Branson and Jimmy Vasquez and trained by David Gomez-Barraza. A decision will be made whether to pay the $50,000 supplement fee and enter the horse in the All American Futurity trials coming up in August.

“We’re fairly confident in our horse right now,” Andrade Jr. said in the winner’s circle. “He’s shown his talent so if we were to go in the All American, I think we would have a shot.”

Jess a Bad Lil Cat is sired by Jess Good Candy out of the mare Cat Daddys Lil Girl (Big Daddy Cartel), paid $7.40, $4.20 and $3.00.