Didericksen, Dm Shicago Heading Into Ruidoso Racehorse Hall of Fame

Five time-champion jockey Kip Didericksen and Ruidoso Downs’ legendary racehorse DM Shicago will be inducted into the Ruidoso Downs Racehorse Hall of Fame during induction ceremonies in June.

Didericksen and DM Shicago join owner/breeder Four Sixes Ranch and trainer Heath Taylor in the class of 2012. Every year an owner/breeder, trainer, jockey and horse are added to the elite members of the Ruidoso Downs Racehorse Hall of Fame.

The Ruidoso Downs Racehorse Hall of Fame celebrates the greatest horsemen and horses who have impacted the sport. The non-profit hall of fame is open free to the public and all donations are tax deductible.

A dominant quarter horse jockey in major stakes races throughout quarter horse racing, Didericksen was honored as the national champion jockey in 1986 and then in 1989 through 1992. During his championship years he guided two-time world champion Refrigerator to wins in the All American Futurity (1990) and the Champion of Champions (1992). He also won the 1990 Champion of Champions with world champion Dash For Speed.

Didericksen scored multiple wins in the Rainbow Derby, Los Alamitos Championship, Los Alamitos Derby, Ed Burke Futurity, Kindergarten, Golden State Derby, Governor’s Cup Futurity, PCQHRA Breeders Futurity and El Primero Del Ano Derby. He also had grade 1 wins in the Ruidoso Derby, Go Man Go Handicap and the Vessels Maturity.

Racing for owners Fredda Draper and Don Moler, DM Shicago became one of the all-time fan favorites at Ruidoso Downs when he won the 2004 All American Futurity and returned the following summer to sweep the three Grade 1 derbies. He won the Ruidoso Derby by a neck, the Rainbow Derby by three quarters of a length and then the All American Derby by one length to secure the 2005 world champion title.

Trained by Carl Draper, DM Shicago raced into the national quarter horse spotlight when he won the 2004 All American Futurity by an expanding three quarters of a length in a then stakes record :21.00 for the 440 yards.

A son of Separatist, DM Shicago became third horse to take the three derbies and the fifth horse to win the All American Futurity and the All American Derby, but he is the only All American Futurity winner to also win the three prestigious derbies.

Jockey Juan Vazquez was aboard for each of DM Shicago’s 19 career starts and the powerful gelding made his first 11 outs at Ruidoso Downs. He had seven wins, two seconds and two thirds at Ruidoso Downs while earning $1,812,513 of his career earnings of $1,873,730 at the mountain track.



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