Empressum highly impressive in Ruidoso Derby trials
The track was fast and sealed and the gelding was astonishingly quick.
Empressum lowered the 400-yard track record at Ruidoso Downs with a 19.14-second win in a division of the Ruidoso Derby trials on May 30, easily gaining the role of fastest qualifier for Saturday’s $673,731 final.
Judging from his unbeaten 2021 record, Empressum has an excellent chance to record his fourth win of the year in the Ruidoso Derby. Owned and bred by Jeff Jones of Pembroke, N.C., and Steve Holt of Guthrie, Okla., Empressum was supplemented to the Ruidoso Derby for $30,000.
The investment essentially was pre-paid, considering Empressum won his stakes debut this year in the $355,800 Remington Park Oklahoma-Bred Derby at 400 yards on April 17, earning $142,370. Empressum was a 16-1 outsider in the Remington Park Derby, but will be well-backed in the 10-runner Ruidoso Derby.
The quick turnaround from the trials to the final has been foremost on trainer Heath Taylor’s mind this week.
“So far, he’s sound and pretty healthy,” Taylor said on Thursday. “That’s the biggest question.
“I don’t see any indications to see a tailing off.”
Rodrigo Vallejo rode Empressum in his first three starts this year, a span that began with a trial for the Remington Park Oklahoma-Bred Derby. Vallejo has the mount on Saturday. Empressum will break from post 9, surrounded by two of his prominent rivals – trial race winners KJ Sonny P to the inside and Jettz to the outside.
The undefeated gelding For the Irony, a trial race winner in 19.54 seconds, drew post 3 and starts in his first major race. For the Irony did win the $77,100 Arizona Quarter Horse Racing Association Spring Derby at Turf Paradise on April 19.
In the Ruidoso Derby trials, KJ Sonny P won the trial preceding Empressum in a 15-1 upset in 19.37 seconds for trainer Wes Giles, recording the second-fastest qualifying time.
Jettz has the best career credentials in the Ruidoso Derby. Trained by Juan Vazquez for owner and breeder Bobby Cox, Jettz was third in the 2020 Ruidoso Futurity and fourth in the $3 million All American Futurity last September in his final start of the year.
Jettz won his 2021 debut in the Ruidoso Derby trials, finishing in 19.55 seconds at a time of the day when the track was wet-fast and sealed from morning rain. Conditions improved to fast and sealed later in the day, when Empressum raced.
“Jettz is very much on my mind,” Taylor said.
Jettz has won 3 of 8 starts and earned $373,434.