Ruidoso Downs: All American Derby trials draw top talent

A collection of some of the best 3-year-old Quarter Horses in the nation have descended on Ruidoso Downs for Friday’s nine trials for the Grade 1, $1,316,760 All American Derby. There is at least one Grade 1 winner in eight of the trials, which overall drew 73 runners attempting to secure a place in the 10-horse finale Sept. 4.

Post for the first race is 12 p.m. Mountain on Friday.

Cold Cash 123 is the leading 3-year-old in the country right now off the strength of his win in last month’s Grade 1, $899,524 Rainbow Derby at Ruidoso. He splashed his way to a neck win in the slop, closing from eighth under regular rider Roy Baldillez.

“He broke super, and the inside horses were out there, but they didn’t run away from him,” Baldillez said. “He was getting a hold of the track, and he loves 440 yards.”

Cold Cash 123 is 5 for 5 at the distance, and will seek to improve his record at the trip in Friday’s trials, which are at 440 yards. Sleepy Gilbreath trains the horse, who gave him a record seventh win in the Rainbow

Cold Cash 123 will start in the sixth trial race Friday.

The first trial drew Givinitaroyaleffort, winner of the Grade 1 Heritage Place Futurity last year at Remington Park. The second race is led by A Streak Again, who accounted for the 2010 Zia Futurity, a restricted Grade 1 race held in New Mexico.

In the third race, Grade 1 Golden State Million Futurity winner One Sweet Jess will meet champion American Runaway. The trial will be American Runaway’s first start for trainer John Buchanan after a partner in the horse, Bobby Cox, bought out the other owners, according to a release from Ruidoso. Cox then transferred American Runaway from Paul Jones to Buchanan, who is the primary trainer for Cox.

In the fourth race, Hes too Icy for Me, the winner of last year’s Grade 1 Rainbow Futurity, will take on Jls Mr Bigtime, the favorite in last year’s All American Futurity who is a restricted Grade 1 winner in his home state of Louisiana.

Llano Teller, winner of the Grade 1 Ruidoso Derby, headlines the fifth race. The eighth drew last year’s Grade 1 Texas Classic Futurity winner Bodacious Dash, while the ninth is led by Grade 1 West Texas Futurity winner No Dice Special.

The lone race without a Grade 1 winner, the seventh, drew the Grade 1-placed Treason and multiple Grade 2 winner Giorgino.