Stable Notes by Mike Ahrens: Saturday, July 18, 2020

After two scratches in the Rainbow Invitational, the two runners from the also eligibles list drew in, so a field of ten went postward. The favorite was Love Is Everything V, trained by Eddie Willis and ridden by Jimmy Dean Brooks who was celebrating his 55th birthday today. It was definitely a happy birthday, as the sorel gelding dug in gamely to win by a neck. "He ran good," said Willis. "He just got knocked out the last two trials [for the final] but he's been a good horse all year." In the latter part of the stretch it was down to Love Is Everything V and Katch This Bird. Jockey Brooks said "The eight horse [Katch This Bird] was right there. About 150 yards to the wire I felt it," and he had another gear left to prevail over Katch This Bird. It was another three-quarters of a length back to Not the Favorite, who was in contention between them and weakened late.

All eyes were on 1-2 favorite Fernweh in the Rainbow Oaks. The sorrel filly was a little fractious in the gate, didn't break terribly sharply, veered out at one point then had to alter course and finished fourth. Upon review by the stewards she was disqualified and placed last behind Jess Find Me, with whom she interfered when veering out early. Also having a bit of trouble was Ratification, who drifted out badly. But this runner broke sharply and was quickly clear so the drifting did not bother anyone. She hung on to win by a head for trainer John Buchanan and jockey Esgar Ramirez, over Valiant Astica, with Southern Wagon another length and a quarter back in third.

For the Rainbow Derby, a filly named Hotsempting took on the boys as the 7-10 favorite. Prior to the race several trainers expressed confidence in their ability to upset her, one of whom was Tony Sedillo, trainer of Cers Final Try who ran second to her in the Ruidoso Derby. After a gutsy effort under Alfredo Sigala to surge past late and win by a head, Sedillo said "That's what I said, we just need to be close. The way he's running the last bit, he's running hard and fast." This consistent, tough horse has now won six times in 15 lifetime starts with a total of 12 in-the-money finishes and always seems to show up. Sedillo initially thought he might have lost the photo but was thrilled with the victory, made all the more special as the gelding, owned by Christina Robinson, is named for his now-deceased breeder, Charles E. Robinson. Robinson owned Imperial Eagle, winner of the 2016 All American Futurity and which was Sedillo's biggest win as a trainer. This one has got to feel pretty special as well.