Duponte, the thrilling winner of the Grade 1 $1 million Heritage Place Futurity, is set to compete in the All American Futurity trials, carrying the aspirations of a remarkable trio of racing professionals all in their early twenties. Jockey Francisco Ramirez, Jr., 23, will be partnered with trainer Josue Ponce, 21, while owner Kristen Paredes, 23, anxiously watches their Grade 1 winner vie for a spot in the prestigious Labor Day classic. This young team understands the rarity and significance of their current success in the high-stakes world of Quarter Horse racing.
The Young Owner’s Journey
Kristen Paredes hails from a family deeply immersed in Quarter Horse racing, with her parents, Edmar and Belinda Paredes, actively involved for over two decades. When her brother, Edmar Jr., bravely battled leukemia, Kristen became a driving force, encouraging her family to persevere in the racing business that she had grown to love. Her passion for the sport is palpable, often bringing her to tears when discussing the incredible journey Duponte has taken her family on. “It is an amazing ride that my family has been on in the last two years,” Paredes shared. “Two years ago my brother was in a hospital bed fighting for his life, and to now have him healthy enough to be going into his freshmen year at Texas A&M this upcoming fall is nothing short of a blessing. And to now have the Heritage Place Futurity(G1) winner going towards the All American Futurity(G1) trials as one of the horses to beat is so surreal.”
The Paredes family’s involvement with Duponte began at the 2015 TQHA Yearling Sale in San Antonio, Texas. With a set budget, Kristen and her father identified a Dominyun colt named Revolution and a sorrel colt by American Runaway named Duponte. Duponte, from the Bobby D. Cox consignment, particularly caught their eye. “We purchased Revolution the first day of the sale at $7,000,” Kristen recalled. “My dad and I were both very high on Duponte, who sold on the second day of the sale. We had concerns that he was good enough of an individual that he would be outside of our designated budget. He was just a yearling we liked so much, and we went for it. He has been such a worthwhile purchase at $6,700.” After the sale, Duponte was sent to trainer Joe Garza for initial breaking and preparation before joining trainer Josue Ponce.
The Prodigy Trainer
Trainer Josue Ponce’s path into horse racing was shaped by significant influences from a young age. His father, Carlos, owned horses in Mexico, and numerous family members were involved in racing. His uncle, Abel Flores, trained successful runners, and his cousin, jockey Damian Martinez, piloted AQHA Racing World Champion JRC Callas First in 2014. Ponce’s early training successes attracted the attention of the Paredes family, leading to his first Grade 1 victory at the age of twenty-one with Duponte. “I had trained several horses that were running up against horses in Texas owned by the Paredes family, and luckily for me those horses I trained were outperforming theirs at the time,” Ponce explained. “I was approached by them, and asked if I would like to start training some of their horses, and of course I jumped at the chance. I have only been training horses now for three years now, and I realize my good fortune I am experiencing in racing thus far.”
Upon receiving Duponte from Garza, Ponce tested the two-year-old colt twice against older horses at Retama Park to gauge his potential before heading to Louisiana Downs for the Harrah’s Futurity trials. “He outworked two older horses that were winners in the claiming ranks, and for a green two-year old to outbreak them from the gates was an indication of what kind of horse we had,” Ponce noted. He trained Duponte near his home in Natalia, Texas, and enlisted the help of jockey Francisco Ramirez, Jr. for the Harrah’s Entertainment Futurity trials.
The Determined Jockey
Jockey Francisco Ramirez, Jr., affectionately known as “Bu Bu,” was immersed in horse racing from birth. He belongs to a family renowned for its race riders, including cousins Raul Ramirez, Jr., J.R. Ramirez, and the recently retired Saul Ramirez. His father, Francisco Sr., also had a brief riding career. Francisco Jr. began his racing career at the young age of nine in match races in Texas, inspired by the success of his racing-famous relatives. “I would have to give the credit of teaching how to ride to my father,” Ramirez stated. “My cousins helped fine-tune me into the race-rider that I am today. I also have to credit the late Jacky Martin. He is who I idolized in the saddle.”
Ramirez is recognized as a talented rider, though his early career was marked by struggles with substance abuse, leading to significant suspensions. “It is something that I have had to overcome since beginning my riding career,” he admitted. “I have been riding a while now, but I have had to sit out multiple years because of the violations I have had in my career. It has cost me the mounts on horses like Kiss My Hocks, and Lovethewayyoulie in the past. It is something that I have had to work at, and I am very happy to be here today on the straight and narrow.” With his fiancée Mandy, Ramirez is expecting his first child in November, adding to his current period of stability and success.
Early Victories and Lessons Learned
Francisco Ramirez, Jr. first rode Duponte in works prior to the Harrah’s Entertainment Futurity(G3) trials. Despite a tardy break and running greenly in the trials, Duponte managed to qualify as the tenth-fastest contender. Trainer Ponce attributed the colt’s performance to a challenging pre-race haul to Louisiana Downs. “We hauled him in the day before to Louisiana Downs, and what should have been only a three-hour haul turned into an eight-hour ordeal with unexpected traffic,” Ponce explained. “We took him back to Natalia, Texas after the trials, but got him back to Bossier City days before the finals of the Harrah’s Futurity(G1). He is really just a laid back horse that does just about all that you want him to do, and it was just a matter of figuring him out.”
The Duponte team successfully figured out the American Runaway colt, as he secured a dominant victory in the Harrah’s Futurity(G1), earning his connections $120,465 on their initial $6,700 investment. Ramirez described the change in the colt for the finals: “In the post-parade for the finals, I decided to warm him up aggressively before getting him to the gates, and he got in the stall of the starting gate focused and ready to fire out of there. He was a changed individual after that, and ran a tremendous race in Louisiana.”
Triumph in the Heritage Place Futurity
Following his win in Louisiana, Duponte was prepared for the $1 Million Heritage Place Futurity(G1) at Remington Park. Kristen Paredes’ father, Edmar, had urged the supplementary entry into the race, convinced of Duponte’s potential. “Joe Garza is a trusted friend of our family and he was the one who urged my father to supplement him into the Heritage Place Futurity(G1),” said Paredes. “Joe was very high on this horse from the very beginning, and would tell us how this is a special horse when he began breaking and training him.”
In the Heritage Place Futurity trials, Duponte again broke tardily and showed greenness, but impressively recovered to qualify as the ninety-fastest qualifier. Trainer Ponce ensured Duponte was well-acclimated to Remington Park’s environment, schooling him twice to prepare for the finals. During the $1 Million futurity, Duponte replicated his strong performance from the Harrah’s Entertainment Futurity. Ramirez described the pivotal moment: “By the third jump out of the gate I actually didn’t see another horse. I was flagging him with my stick, and hollering at him the whole way down the lane to keep his mind on running. It was my biggest win in my career thus far, and bringing him back to the winners circle was an emotional experience to reflect on the accomplishment that had just happened.” Trainer Ponce, overwhelmed with emotion, reflected on the magnitude of winning a $1 million futurity at the young age of twenty-one, a feat many trainers strive for their entire careers.
The Road to the All American Futurity
From his initial training, Duponte showed exceptional promise, with three offers to purchase him being declined by the Paredes family. Following his Heritage Place Futurity(G1) win, which boosted his earnings to $578,519, the decision was made to consider the All American Futurity(G1) at Ruidoso Downs. This meant a $50,000 supplement fee, a significant investment that Edmar Paredes was willing to make. “My father told me prior to the Heritage Place Futurity(G1) that if he ran well enough that we might think about going to Ruidoso with him,” said Paredes. “He said that if perhaps Duponte would run either first or second, that he would warrant the $50,000 supplement to pay for him to try to qualify for the All American Futurity(G1) in Ruidoso.”
After a week of rest at Ponce’s home in Natalia, Texas, Duponte was shipped to Ruidoso two months prior to the trials to acclimate to the altitude. Ponce expressed satisfaction with the colt’s progress: “We took him home and rested him for a week after the Heritage Place win… We took him out to Ruidoso two months ago to get him acclimated to the altitude, and he has thrived. We have worked him twice since he has been here, including one gate work for 330 yards. We just can’t be happier with how he is doing.”
The ownership group has expanded, with Duponte’s breeder, Bobby D. Cox, repurchasing a percentage of the colt, and Kristen’s uncle, Homero Paredes, also joining the partnership. “To have my uncle and Mr. Bobby Cox join us with the ownership of the horse has been tremendous,” said Paredes. “This horse has just brought so much joy to our lives and we are just so very hopeful for his chances of getting into the All American with him this weekend.” The young team and their talented colt Duponte are poised to make their mark in the All American Futurity trials.
