Quarter running upset specialist First Klas Fred defeated All American Futurity winner Runnning Brook Gal in the $302,440 Hobbs America Futurity, at 12-1 odds on Sunday at Zia Park.

Trained by Mike Joiner for Denis and Julie Schoenhofer, First Klas Fred won the $500,000 Ruidoso Futurity at 13-1 odds in June at Ruidoso Downs. In the Hobbs America, he held off  late-running 11-10 favorite Runnning Brook Gal to get the 400-yard win by a neck, in :19.179.

“This horse is his own worst enemy, sometimes,” said winning rider G.R. Carter Jr., who last week joined an elite group of jockeys with 3,000 career wins. “He kind of wallowed in the gate and tried to get in (from the outside post position). I got after him and he made a big run.”

It was enough of a late charge to upset Runnning Brook Gal, who got off to a late start, but was closing fast. This was the fourth win and second stakes victory for the gelded son of Fredricksburg, and raised his career earnings to $416,073.

Zenyatta ties Personal Ensign’s perfect 13-win record
Zenyatta, 2008 champion older female, extended her unbeaten streak to 13 wins on Saturday, going 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.89 under Mike Smith, in the Lady’s Secret Stakes at Santa Anita.

The perfect 13-win streak tied the 20-year record set by Personal Ensign, 1988 champion older female and the first major American thoroughbred to retire unbeaten since Colin in 1908. The win was also Zenyatta’s 11th stakes victory and earned the 5-year-old Street Cry daughter a berth in the upcoming Breeders’ Cup Distaff Classic, which she won last year.

“To remain unbeaten through all the ups and downs of racing, different racetracks, different horses, different pace scenarios, it’s amazing,” said John Shirreffs, who trains Zenyatta for Jerry and Ann Moss.

 Zenyatta, loved by fans for her hallmark  “big move” stretch runs, has career earnings of $2,774,580.