Apocalyptical Jess continues undefeated season in Ruidoso Derby

RUIDOSO DOWNS, N.M. – Apocalyptical Jess, the champion 2-year-old Quarter Horse gelding of 2018, was the narrow winner of Saturday’s $958,766 Ruidoso Derby at Ruidoso Downs to remain unbeaten in four starts this year.

Ridden by Tanner Thedford, Apocalyptical Jess ($6.80) held off a sustained threat from 3-1 Danjer to win by a neck, finishing 400 yards in 19.75 seconds. The race was run into a 12-mile per hour headwind.

Cds Wine N Dine, a 9-2 chance, finished third in the field of nine. He was vanned off and was reported to have bled, track officials said.

Apocalyptical Jess was one of two qualifiers trained by Trey Wood, who also finished fourth with Flying Cowboy 123, the champion 2-year-old colt of 2018.

Quarter Horse racing has annual champions for outstanding 2-year-old colt, filly, and gelding. The champion 2-year-old filly of 2018 – Flash and Roll – was also the overall 2-year-old champion. She won a division of the Ruidoso Derby trials on May 26, but did not have a time fast enough to qualify for the final.

The Ruidoso Derby, the first of three major stakes for 3-year-olds at the track’s spring-summer meeting, was the first meeting between Flying Cowboy 123 and Apocalyptical Jess since they finished first and sixth in the $1,014,657 Texas Classic Futurity at Lone Star Park last November. Apocalyptical Jess broke slowly in that race.

Apocalyptical Jess, best known for winning the $3 million All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs last September, was the fastest qualifier to the Ruidoso Derby in time trials on May 26. Owned by Bill Robbins of San Jose, Calif., Apocalyptical Jess is unbeaten this year. By Apollitical Jess, Apocalyptical Jess won the $320,000 Remington Park Oklahoma-Bred Derby on April 20 and a time trial for that race on April 7 in his first start this year.

In his career, Apocalyptical Jess has won 7 of 10 starts and earned $2,081,773.

Jockey Ricky Ramirez rode Apocalyptical Jess and Flying Cowboy 123 in the Ruidoso Derby time trials and chose Flying Cowboy 123 for the final. Thedford, closely allied with Wood’s stable in morning workouts, was given the mount on Apocalyptical Jess for the first time on Saturday.