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. 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.
Read MoreCandy Blood, a three year-old gelding, broke from the outside post position and powered home a two-and-a quarter-length winner in the seventh race Sunday to qualify for the $678,253 Rainbow Derby at Ruidoso Downs Race Track in the fastest time of the day, 20.868 seconds for 440-yards.
Read MoreWhistle Stop Café, undefeated winner of 2020 All American and Rainbow Futurities, will skip the trials for the $1 million (est.) Ruidoso Derby opening weekend and is expected to resume her racing career in the trials for the Rainbow Derby on July 11, 2021.
Read MoreIn the feature stakes race of the day, the Grade I Rainbow Derby, all eyes were on the filly Hotsempting who took on the colts and geldings in the open division instead of running in the new Oaks division for fillies. In the end, it came down to three horses hitting the wire almost simultaneously with Cers Final Try winning with a time of 21.368. Hotsempting ran a very close second with a time of 21.378, and Gold Heart Eagle V was third with a time of 21.380. The 440-yard dash for a purse of $710,414 was run under cloudy skies on a fast track with almost no wind.
Read MoreTim Keithley talks with trainers for the Inside Track about the upcoming Rainbow Derby at Ruidoso Downs Race Track.
Read MoreThe field is now set for the Rainbow Derby finals, and it came down to the final trial heat to get the fastest qualifier of the day. The filly Hotsempting showed the boys on the track how to get it done when she charged down the middle of the track and ran a lightning-fast time of 21.281 in an impressive performance.
Read MoreThe race card this weekend at Ruidoso Downs features three days of trials highlighting some of the fastest 2-year-old and 3-year-old Quarter Horses in the industry, and they will all be running against the clock. Almost 300 2-year-olds will run in 30-time trial heats vying for a spot in the GI $1 Million Rainbow Futurity, the second leg of the Quarter Horse Triple Crown on Friday and Saturday. Sunday’s card features a time trial double-header with 72 head running for a chance at the $700,000 Rainbow Derby, and 32 mares and fillies competing for a spot in the inaugural $300,000 Rainbow Oaks.
Read MoreTim Keithley picks five runners to pay attention to in Sunday’s Rainbow Derby/Oaks Trials.
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