FDD Dreams Looks to Keep Win Steak Alive In $850,000 Ruidoso Derby on Saturday
THURSDAY, JUNE 5
FDD Dreams, a three-year-old gelding with six career wins including the $912,000 Texas Classic Futurity at Sunland Park last fall, will lead a field of seven quarter horses to post in the $850,000 (est.) Ruidoso Derby on Saturday at Ruidoso Downs.
“He’s a funny horse,” owner Javier Rodriguez said this week. “He’ll dance for you in the barn and sleeps plenty. I believe he knows when something big is about to happen--seems to have a sense about things.”
FDD Dreams would top the $1 million mark in earnings with a victory on Saturday for la Feliz Montana Ranch in Hondo where the gelding was born and raised. Jockey Luis Martinez will ride the gelding on the inside as number-two at 5/2 morning line odds for trainer Xavier Rodriguez.
“His last defeat was in the All American,” Javier Rodriguez said. “I thought he was really coming on and might have won it given just a few more strides. This guy is really on the top of his game right now—I’m looking forward to the Derby.”
La Feliz Montana Ranch also has Little Vaquero and jockey Francisco Calderon as number-four at 5-1 odds. “That horse doesn’t get the headlines that some of the other three-year-olds receive in our barn but he’s very consistent,” he said. “I do like that Calderon is helping us because our regular rider Luis is taking FDD Dreams. He’s an excellent rider and we’re happy to have him.”
All-time great G.R. Carter and his wife Shaena own Stetsonn, number-nine, a fourth-place finisher in the Oklahoma Breeder’s Derby at Remington Park on April 19. The gelding is 7/2 on the morning line for trainer Dean Frey.
There are three scratches in the race including HardtoKatch, Electrifying Cowboy and Lethal Cowboy 123. First post on Saturday is scheduled for 1 p.m. with the Ruidoso Derby set to go to post at 4:54 p.m.
Here is the lineup for the Ruidoso Derby on Saturday:
Hardtokatch
Owner: JSM Quarter Horses & Alcala Ranch LLC | Trainer: Cristian Alcala | Jockey: Juan Pulido | Odds: SCR
FDD Dreams
Owner: La Feliz Montana Ranch, LLC (Javier Rodriguez et al.) | Trainer: Xavier Rodriguez | Jockey: Luis Martinez | Odds: 5/2
Electrifying Cowboy
Owner: Tungsten Racing Partnership | Trainer: Ramon Mendoza | Jockey: Sergio Becerra | Odds: SCR
Little Vaquero
Owner: La Feliz Montana Ranch, LLC (Javier Rodriguez et al.) | Trainer: Xavier Rodriguez | Jockey: Francisco Calderon | Odds: 5/1
Lethal Cowboy 123
Owner: Caliche Walls Venture LLC | Trainer: Marc Jungers | Jockey: Edwin Escobedo | Odds: SCR
Eagle Aye
Owner: Tungsten Racing Partnership | Trainer: Ramon Mendoza | Jockey: Luis Flores-Garcia | Odds: 15-1
KJ Born to Be Wild
Owner: John & Kathy Lee & Reuben Mares | Trainer: Wes Giles | Jockey: Noe Garcia, Jr | Odds: 8-1
Daou
Owner: Sue May | Trainer: Fred Danley | Jockey: Christian Cardenas | Odds: 9/2
Stetsonn
Owner: G.R. and Shaena Carter | Trainer: Dean Frey | Jockey: Brian Candanosa | Odds: 7/2
Cartel Perry
Owner: Johnny Trotter | Trainer: Chris O’Dell | Jockey: Jesus Ayala | Odds: 10-1