Hotsempting, Fernweh head strong fields for Ruidoso Derby and Oaks

The creation of the $315,612 Rainbow Oaks for 3-year-old filly Quarter Horses, which will be run for the first time at Ruidoso Downs on Saturday, is designed to give fillies their own major mid-summer race instead of racing against males in the Rainbow Derby.

The 3-year-old filly division is so deep at Ruidoso Downs this summer that a filly may still win Saturday’s $710,414 Rainbow Derby.

Hotsempting, the winner of the $877,266 Ruidoso Derby on June 6, will start favored in the Rainbow Derby. A winner of 6 of 9 starts, all against males, Hotsempting was the fastest qualifier from time trials on July 5, her fourth consecutive win.

Hotsempting may be in the easier of the two lucrative stakes, which are run at 440 yards.

The Rainbow Oaks drew a strong field led by the undefeated Fernweh, who won the $1 million Ruidoso Futurity in 2019. She will be opposed by Ratification, who set the fastest qualifying time in the July 5 trials, and the California stakes winner Southern Wagon. Lil Miss Sashay, fourth in the All American Futurity last September, is capable of a top-three finish.

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Fernweh, who has won five races, was timed in 21.35 seconds for 440 yards in the Rainbow Oaks trials, winning by an easy 2 1/2 lengths. Earlier this year, Fernweh won the Remington Park Oklahoma-bred Derby in her second start of the year.

Owned by Rusty Allred, Fernweh was trained by Trey Wood and Blane Wood in her first four starts and was transferred to Charles Shults prior to the Rainbow Oaks trials.

Ratification, seventh in the 2019 Rainbow Futurity, won a division of the Rainbow Oaks trials in 21.29 seconds in her third start of the year. Trained by John Buchanan, Ratification won a division of the Ruidoso Derby trials on May 25, but was not quick enough to qualify for the final.

Southern Wagon won a division of the Rainbow Oaks trials in 21.39 seconds for her third win in four starts this year. At Los Alamitos in the spring, Southern Wagon was second in the $395,400 Los Alamitos Oaks in March and won the $30,000 Pacifica Handicap at 400 yards on May 9.

Hotsempting, trained by Sergio Ibarra, has raced only in New Mexico in her career. She was timed in 21.28 seconds in the Rainbow Derby trial, winning by 1 3/4 lengths over Hes Back, who is also in the Rainbow Derby.

Hotsempting won the Ruidoso Derby at 400 yards by a length over Cers Final Try, who qualified for the Rainbow Derby with a neck win in the time trials in 21.29 seconds. A gelding, Cers Final Try is winless in three major stakes appearances, including a third in the Southwest Juvenile Championship at Zia Park last December.

KJ Mucho Macho Man, third in the 2019 West Texas Futurity at Sunland Park, and Dynast C, who was fifth in the West Texas Derby earlier this year, can play a role in the Rainbow Derby, but are unlikely to win if Hotsempting continues her excellent form.