EMPRESSUM, WHISTLE STOP CAFÉ’ CONTINUE WINNING WAYS IN RAINBOW DERBY AND OAKS AT RUIDOSO DOWNS RACE TRACK
Empressum broke from the gates on top and led throughout the tenth race Saturday winning the $678,253 Rainbow Derby by a length-and-a-half in a winning time of 21.13 seconds for 440-yards.
After having won the Ruidoso Derby earlier in the season, the gelding will have the opportunity to sweep the summer’s triple crown derby races for three-year-olds should the horse enter and qualify for the finals of the All American Derby to be held Labor Day weekend.
“This is why you are in the game,” trainer Heath Taylor said in the winner’s circle. “You don’t do it necessarily for the money, but for the chance to participate and be competitive in races like this Derby. I think the public who came to the races today will remember this horse and his performance on the race track, and it’s a priviledge to be associated with a horse like this.”
Bettors made Empressum and jockey Rodrigo Vallejo nearly an even-money favorite at post time. The gelding paid $4.60, $3.20 and $2.60. The owners of Empressum are Jeff Jones and Steve Holt who were joyous in the winner’s circle.
“We’ve watched this horse develop from the time he was born to now, and we knew he was something extra special from the beginning,” Holt said. “This is what makes our dreams come true—to be a part of this horse’s success.”
Empressum’s sire is Apollitical Jess out of the mare Crazy Down Corona by First Down Dash. The gelding has ten lifetime wins in twelve races with earnings of approximately $800,000. Empressum has won six consecutive races.
The other significant favorite of the day, 2020 All American Champion Whistle Stop Café, also sprung from the starting gate and was never headed in winning the $374,363 Rainbow Oaks for three-year-old fillies. The champion filly remains undefeated in eight career starts.
“I thought she needed her trial race and today came back better than ever,” jockey Tanner Thedford said. “She was determined to win and gave us everything she had. That’s about all you can ever ask for.”
“She was perfect,” trainer Trey Wood said. “She’s a one-of-a-kind individual and has nothing left to prove.”
Stewards called for a van ride for Whistle Stop Café following her winner’s circle appearance after the race, which Wood deemed unnecessary.
“They thought she was tired, but she seemed fine to me,” Wood said. “She’s back in the barn feeling good and we’re contemplating her next move.”
Will that move be an attempt in the All American Derby trials, or will the filly take her chances in the trials of the All Ameircan Oaks?
“We will always do what’s best for her,” Wood said. “She loves to run, and we’ll need to make that decision closer to time for both trials.”
Whistle Stop Café’s sire is Freighttrain B out of the mare Sinuous by Mr Jess Perry. The filly paid $3.80, $280 and $2.60 in winning the ninth race in a time of 21.37 seconds for 440-yards.
The $100,000 Rainbow Invitational Stakes was won by Gym N Jam by a nose over Separate Sentence. Stewards called for an inquiry of the seventh race and deliberated for a few minutes before deciding not to change the order of finish.
Gym N Jam was 3-1 and paid $8.40, $4.20 and $3.20 in a winning time of 21.75 seconds for 440-yards.
The gelding is sired by Jess Good Candy out of the mare None as Easy by Dashin is Easy, and is owned by Pat and Walt Fletcher and trainer by Fred Danley.
Rainbow weekend continues at Ruidoso Downs Sunday afternoon with the running of the $1 million Rainbow Futurity for two-year-olds along with the $100,000 Rainbow Juvenile and the $40,000 Mr Jett Moore Handicap. First post on Sunday is 1 p.m., and more information is available at www.raceruidoso.com.