Rock You seeks better trip in Rainbow Derby

Quarter Horse jockey Jimmy Brooks turns 49 on Friday. The celebration will last through the weekend if Rock You continues his domination of Ruidoso’s 3-year-old division in Saturday’s $1,048,682 Rainbow Derby over 440 yards.

Rock You won the Ruidoso Derby on June 7 and finished a troubled second in a division of the Rainbow Derby trials July 5, a loss that ended a five-race winning streak. Brooks was aboard for the trial race, in which Rock You was forced across the track by a rival lugging out.

“He had the worst trip he could have had and still qualified,” Brooks said. “I think he’ll run a lot better.”

Brooks works closely with trainer Eddie Willis. For the Rainbow Derby, they teamed to also qualify This Dude Can Fly, who won the Heritage Place Derby at Remington Park on May 31. Brooks said Willis advises him on which mount to take in a final when the rider qualifies more than one horse. Brooks will be aboard Rock You.

“He puts me on the one that he thinks will run best,” Brooks said.

Brooks said Rock You “is probably the one I would have chosen anyway. I think I’ve got a better shot on him.”

Brooks will ride Rock You for Gary, Micah, and Leslie McKinney’s Reliance Ranches. A gelding, Rock You has won 6 of 11 starts and earned $571,569, the highest earnings total of the 10 qualifiers for the Rainbow Derby.

KEY CONTENDERS

ROCK YOU

◗ Rock You holds the sixth-fastest qualifying time. The Rainbow Derby will be his third major stakes final. Last November, Rock You was third in the Golden State Million Futurity at Los Alamitos.

HER O DON WON

◗ A gelding trained by Russell Harris, Her O Don Won set the fastest qualifying time of 21.32 seconds in the 440-yard time trials.

◗ A winner of 4 of 8 starts, Her O Don Won was second in the Dash For Cash Futurity at Lone Star Park last October, his only previous stakes final.

HES RELENTLESS

◗ A colt, Hes Relentless is the one of two Rainbow Derby finalists who qualified for the All American Futurity last September, running seventh.

HOUDINI

◗ A winner of 6 of 11 starts, Houdini was 10th in the All American Futurity last year.

◗ He breaks from the outside in Saturday’s race, which could be his first stakes win.