Hold Air Hostage appears good investment in All American Derby

Hold Air Hostage has had a commanding presence in major Quarter Horse derbies at Remington Park and Ruidoso Downs in recent months.

He won the $297,100 Heritage Place Derby at Remington Park in June and the $1,150,000 Rainbow Derby at Ruidoso Downs in July, both by 1 3/4 lengths. On Aug. 20 at Ruidoso Downs, Hold Air Hostage ran 440 yards in 21.10 seconds to win a division of the All American Derby trials by 3 1/2 lengths.

Hold Air Hostage set the fastest qualifying time for Sunday’s $1,365,907 final and will be a strong favorite in a field of 10. He has emerged as the nation’s leading 3-year-old, but his success has not been without a measure of controversy.

Hold Air Hostage was trained for the Heritage Place Derby and Rainbow Derby by Judd Kearl, who was summarily suspended by Texas racing officials on July 31 for medication positives found in his runners at Texas tracks this year. Prior to the All American Derby trials, Hold Air Hostage was transferred to Kearl’s assistant, Jimmy Padgett.

Hold Air Hostage was not involved in any of the positive tests. All 10 finalists for the All American Derby underwent hair-follicle testing after the time trials and passed, according to a statement released by Ruidoso Downs on Tuesday.

Owned by Dan Darling of Lamont, Okla., Hold Air Hostage was supplemented to the All American Derby trials for $50,000. It was an expensive but practical investment, Darling said. Hold Air Hostage has earned $642,636 in his career.

“The way I looked at it, he’s paid his own way,” Darling said on Thursday from New Mexico. “He’s been daylighting them every time. He loves to run.”

Darling, 62, has been in this situation before with a leading runner in the All American Derby. Last year, his One Fabulous Eagle won a division of the trials but finished eighth in the final as the 3-1 second choice.

The 10 runners with the fastest times in the trials, regardless of finishing position, qualified for the final.

The final includes four other trial-race winners – Bellissima Chocolata, De la Eagle, Duponte, and Myst Fit. Duponte won the 2016 Heritage Place Futurity at Remington Park. Bellissima Chocolata is one of three fillies in the final, along with Elicity and One Sweet Racy.

In the trials, De la Eagle finished a half-length in front of The Marfa Lights, who was second in the All American Futurity last year and is winless in three starts this year.

The winner of the All American Derby earns an automatic berth in the Champion of Champions at Los Alamitos on Dec. 16, a race that annually plays a pivotal role in year-end championship voting.