A fierce 30-mile per hour headwind that blew the New Mexico flag off the Ruidoso Downs infield flagpole on Sunday, June 7, didn’t deter First Klas Fred in the $500,000 G1 Ruidoso Futurity.

The gelded son of deceased first-crop sire Fredricksburg covered 350 yards in :17.885 to beat runner-up Shake Em Money Pop by half a length; Sir Seth finished third, another 1 1/2 lengths back.

“I’m shocked,” said owner Denis Schoenhofer, after First Klas Fred’s $250,000 victory at 13-1 odds. “This is a massive win.”

First Klas Fred broke his maiden in his Ruidoso Futurity trial, when he won by one-half length with the second-fastest qualifying time of :17638. His previous three starts were at Sunland Park, where his best finish was a qualifying second place in his West Texas Futurity trial. He then finished fifth in the finals behind Varsity Girl and Shake Em Money Pop.

“He’s sort of been like a kid with ADD,” said trainer Mike Joiner, who won the 2004 Ruidoso Futurity with All About Ease. “It has just taken him a while to figure racing out.”

Both Ruidoso Futurity favorite GBH Steppin Johnny, who finished eighth, and fastest-qualifier Running Brook Gal (sixth) bobbled at the start of the 350-yard race.

“He broke like a bullet,” said First Klas Fred’s rider, Esgar Ramirez. “At Sunland, I told Mike that he was going to be a good one and he’s gotten better all the time. The longer [distance] the better for him.”

Swingin Daddyo, who stumbled midway through the Futurity, finished fourth. He was followed, respectively, by Effortless Jessie, Running Brook Gal, Jessy Jane, GBH Steppin Johnny and Jess So Sixy.