The Inside Track by Tim Keithley: Road to All American Weekend - Cers Final Try

North Carolina connected CERS Final Try gives Robinson another shot at an All American

About 1,700 miles away from Ruidoso Downs Race Track, Imperial Eagle, the six-year-old retired 2016 All American Futurity champion, relishes his new life of luxury on a sixty-acre farm located in Southern Pines, North Carolina.

“He hangs out in the pasture every day with two over-fed donkeys,” Christina Robinson said. She is the widow of Charles E. Robinson, who owned ‘Eagle and lived to see their All American victory but died shortly after at the age of 83.

“Chuck was in love with the breeding part of the horse industry,” Christina said. “That’s what he was really all about for 25 years. Having ‘Eagle’ here on the ranch now gives me a sense of peace and still helps me keep Chuck’s memory close. He’s earned his keep.”

The next chapter to Chuck and Christina’s story remains alive and well this weekend at Ruidoso Downs, as Rainbow Derby Champion CERS Final Try attempts to qualify for the All American Derby as number- four in the seventh race on Sunday. (Now we all know exactly what the “CER’S” in the horse’s name stands for—Charles E. Robinson.)

“For this to happen again—after winning the All American with ‘Eagle—I completely understand what the odds are for that to occur,” Christina said. “It just makes me smile to think Chuck is somewhere looking over us and watching his racehorse from above.”

CERS Final Try and Dashing For Glitter were Chuck’s final horses that he bred before his death. Both are three-year-olds trained by Tony Sedillo, who trained Imperial Eagle to his All American win. Tony is sort of racetrack royalty around the backside of Ruidoso Downs for having won the All American with the only horse he entered in the trials that particular year.

“The Robinsons mean so much to me and my family,” Tony said. “It would be sensational to win the All American again for Christina in Chuck’s memory.”

It’s not just a pipe-dream for CERS Final Try to make that happen—he’s the horse to beat. The gelding defeated a stellar field including heavily favored Hotsempting in the Rainbow Derby final at 4-1 odds. In four races this season, CERS Final Try has three wins and would be just a length away (second in the Ruidoso Derby to Hotsempting) from winning a Derby Triple Crown should things work out in the All American. But first things first—he has to qualify on Sunday.

“I’m a little concerned that he’s had so many starts this summer,” Tony said. “But the bullet work that he gave us last week—16.71 seconds for 330-yards is probably the best work of the summer for any horse at that distance. He’s ready if luck stays with us.”

In 15 lifetime starts, CERS Final Try has six wins and twelve money finishes with earnings of $514,762. Whatever happens on Sunday the gelding appears to have a nice racing future ahead for trainer Tony and owner Christina.

“And when he’s through racing, we’ll make room for him at the ranch here in North Carolina next to ‘Eagle,” she said.