Apollitical Candy V, Fdd Scout top qualifiers for All American Derby

Apollitical Candy V, the winner of the Rainbow Derby in July, and Fdd Scout, second in the $3 million All American Futurity last September, are the two fastest qualifiers for the $808,264 All American Derby at Ruidoso Downs on Sept. 4 after eight time trials on Sunday.

Apollitical Candy V ran 440 yards in 21.227 seconds to win the fourth of eight trials, slightly quicker than Fdd Scout’s time of 21.288 seconds set in the second division.

The runners with the 10 fastest qualifying times, regardless of finishing positions, earned berths in the final, and those terms provided a dramatic conclusion to the day’s trials.

Kj Desparado, winner of the 2021 All American Futurity, won the first trial in 21.579 seconds, a time quick enough to qualify until Strong Soul (21.536), Delight Us All (21.546) and Ht Double Jess (21.569) swept the top three positions in the eighth and final trial.

Kj Desparado ranked ninth on the provisional list of qualifiers before the final trial was run. Instead of starting in the rich All American Derby, Kj Desparado is eligible for the consolation race on Sept. 4, the $100,000 All American Invitational.

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Other notable qualifiers for the All American Derby are Lethal Avenger, winner of the West Texas Derby at Sunland Park in February, who was second to Fdd Scout on Sunday; and Bomb Cyclone, who won his 2022 debut on Sunday in 21.292 seconds by an easy 3 1/4 lengths in his first start since a convincing win in the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity last December.

There will be massive support for Bomb Cyclone in the final as well as for Apollitical Candy V and Fdd Scout.

Oaks field set

Miss Beth Dutton and Kiss the Cartel, the first two finishers of the Rainbow Oaks on July 23, and Political Rose, the winner of the Heritage Place Oaks at Remington Park in May, are three of the 10 finalists for the $460,824 All American Oaks on Sept. 4.

They will face fastest qualifier Toxic Relationship, who ran 440 yards in 21.409 seconds in Sunday’s first race to establish a standard that held up through four trials. Trained by Dean Frey for Steve Burns, Toxic Relationship is unbeaten in four starts, and will have her stakes debut in the All American Oaks.

There were four trials for the All American Oaks at the beginning of a 12-race program at Ruidoso on Sunday.

Kj Brandy, who failed to qualify for the Rainbow Oaks last month, earned a berth in the All American Oaks by winning the second trial in 21.675 seconds.

Political Rose won the third division in a 21.509 seconds in her first start since the Heritage Place Oaks.

Kiss the Cartel won the fourth division in 21.474 seconds, good enough for the third-fastest time, winning by 1 1/4 lengths over Miss Beth Dutton, who was timed in 21.632 seconds for the seventh-fastest time.

The track was listed as sloppy through the program with persistent, and sometimes heavy, rain.