Cyber Attack and Jes an Angel eyeing big performances in Ruidoso Derby and Oaks
It will take a championship-caliber performance to win the $478,809 Rainbow Oaks or the $804,288 Rainbow Derby for 3-year-old Quarter Horses at Ruidoso Downs on Saturday.
Cyber Attack, the champion 2-year-old Quarter Horse colt of 2022, will be favored to win his sixth consecutive race in the Rainbow Derby at 440 yards. His rivals include fastest qualifier Sicario V, who is unbeaten in three starts this year.
Jes an Angel, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2022, is part of a tough field of fillies in the Rainbow Oaks at 440 yards, which has the highest purse in Quarter Horse history for a race restricted to females.
Cyber Attack, trained by Chris O’Dell for Connie Rosenthal, won a division of the Rainbow Derby trials in 21.44 seconds on a muddy track July 2, his third win of the Ruidoso meeting. Cyber Attack won a division of the Ruidoso Derby time trials at 400 yards on May 28, and won the $895,633 final on June 10 by a commanding 1 1/4 lengths.
A repeat of his performance in the Ruidoso Derby may be good enough to win on Saturday.
“If he gets away like that, they’re in trouble,” O’Dell said. “He’s going to have to run his (tail) off in this race.”
In his Rainbow Derby trial, Cyber Attack won by a half-length over Ghost Witha Fire and Chasing Aj, who also qualified for the Rainbow Derby. Chasing Aj was third in the $3 million All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs last September.
Sicario V was second in the All American as a maiden. A gelding, Sicario V won his 2023 debut in a division of the Ruidoso Derby trials, but was not quick enough to qualify for the final. Instead, Sicario V won the consolation, the $100,000 Ruidoso Invitational on June 10.
Sicario V was vanned to the stables after the winner’s circle ceremony, which jockey Francisco Calderon said was a circumstance of the gelding being tired on a warm afternoon.
“That was a pretty hard stakes,” Calderon said on Wednesday. “I had to ask him a lot and he barely won that race.”
In the Rainbow Derby trials, Sicario V ran his best race of the year for trainer Santos Carrizales Jr., finishing in a quick 21.33 seconds. He won by a length, the widest margin of his three career wins. The style of the win left Calderon hopeful Sicario V can be better on Saturday in his first start against Cyber Attack.
“He felt pretty good that day,” Calderon said of the trial win. “He seems like he’s getting more comfortable.”
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Jes an Angel had the sixth-fastest qualifying time for the Rainbow Oaks, winning a trial in 21.79 seconds by 2 1/2 lengths. She was supplemented to the trials for $25,000 by owners Brad Williams and Don Forbes and can earn $200,781 with a win on Saturday.
Trained by Marc Jungers, Jes an Angel is unbeaten in three career starts at 440 yards. She was the overall fastest qualifier for the All American Futurity last year, but was scratched from the final after being treated with a nebulizer on the morning of the race by then-trainer Lance Moore.
Jes an Angel has been trained by Jungers since last fall and won two stakes at Will Rogers Downs and Zia Park in November and December to secure the championship.
“She’s a unique filly that loves 440,” Jungers said.
In the Rainbow Oaks, Jes an Angel breaks from post 6. On Wednesday, it was unclear who would ride Jes an Angel. Noe Garcia Jr. was aboard Jes an Angel in the trial, but has since been issued a 14-day suspension for excessive use of the whip.
Garcia is seeking relief in court. Jungers named Christian Ramos to ride Jes an Angel, but said the mount will go to Garcia if he is allowed to ride.
Fearless Moon, winless in three major stakes at Los Alamitos, Remington Park and Ruidoso Downs in the last year, was the fastest qualifier from the trials, winning in 21.53 seconds.
In a trial, Fearless Moon beat Cartel Kisses who had a troubled start. Cartel Kisses won the Los Alamitos Oaks in March.
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