EMPRESSUM, WHISTLE STOP CAFÉ REMAIN PERFECT FOR THE SEASON WITH QUALIFYING WINS IN THE ALL AMERICAN DERBY AND OAKS TRIALS AT RUIDOSO DOWNS RACE TRACK
Empressum, a three-year-old gelding, withstood an off-track and stormed home a three-length winner in the eighth race Sunday to qualify for the $929,225 All American Derby at Ruidoso Downs Race Track.
Empressum's time was 21.138 seconds for 440 yards. The gelding now has a seven-race win streak which includes victories in the Oklahoma, Ruidoso and Rainbow Derbies. Empressum will attempt to earn a derby triple crown with a victory in the All American Derby Sept. 5th that has been achieved only three times in history.
"The track was different from the rain but that didn't seem to bother this horse," jockey Rodrigo Vallejo said. "He's just fast--nothing stands in his way."
Empressum has won eleven of fourteen career starts with earnings of almost $800,000. He Is an Oklahoma homebred owned by Jeff Jones and Steve Holt and trained by Health Taylor. The gelding's sire is Apollitical Jess out of the mare Crazy Down Corona by First Down Dash.
"I'm just a fan of horse racing myself, and for the chance to witness two triple crowns in one weekend--that promises to be magical for quarter horse racing," Taylor said. "I'm very happy for the connections involved with this horse and I would think that we're all going to see something special Labor Day weekend."
The top qualifier in the derby trials was Instygator, winning the fifth race of the day in a time of 21.071 seconds for 440-yards. The gelding won by an impressive two-and-three-quarter lengths and paid $5.00, $2.60 and $2.10. Instygator is a Texas-bred sired by Ivory James out of the mare Eye Popping by Mr Eye Opener.
Other quarter horses that qualified Include: Mister Illusion In 21.240 seconds, Shott Gun In 21.265 seconds, Favorite Doc In 21.335 seconds, Candy Blood In 21.353 seconds, Flash Riley In 21.404 seconds, Jettz In 21.412 seconds, Separate Sentence In 21.460 seconds, and Apollitical Redflash In 21.464 seconds.
Previous quarter horse derbv triple crown winners include: My Easy Credit In 1977, Dash for Speed In 1988, and DM Shicago In 2005.
In trials for the $439,885 All American Oaks, 2020 All American Futurity champion Whistle Stop Café powered home from her outside post position a winner in the third race to remain undefeated and qualify for the final with the third-fastest time of 21.428 seconds for 440-yards.
"What can you say, it's easy money," jockey Tanner Thedford said while smiling in the winner's circle. "She just does her job every time."
Whistle Stop Café is owned by Lainie Whitmire of Whitmire Ranch. She's a Texas-bred sired by Freighttrain B out of the mare Sinuous by Mr Jess Perry with earnings of over $2.1 million. A win in the All American Oaks would be the tenth of her career without a loss. Bettors made Whistle Stop Café a favorite at five-cents on the dollar. She paid $2.10, $2.10 and $2.10.
The fastest qualifier for the All American Oaks final is Apollitical Daizies who won the third race in a time of 21.307 seconds for 440 yards while going off at odds of 37-1. The filly paid $76.40, $32.00 and $15.00.
"We felt like she was going to run improved off her Rainbow trial," jockey Mario Delgado said. "She was very fractious in the gate before, but today she stood perfect and left with no issues."
The other fillies that qualified for the finals of the All American Oaks to be run on Sunday, Sept. 5 include: Jess Lyndes Reason in 21.423 seconds; Hr Princess Jess in 21.498 seconds, Valiant Stars in 21.536 seconds, Hollyn Bootie in 21.606 seconds, Miss Famous Eagle in 21.693 seconds, La Jaconde in 21.706 seconds, Charcoal Broiler in 21.749 seconds, and In My Heart in 21.757 seconds.