Smart qualifier Hold Air Hostage looks like Rainbow Derby favorite

Hold Air Hostage should go off favored over a handful of fellow major stakes winners on Saturday when he starts as the fastest qualifier in the Grade 1, $1.15 million Rainbow Derby at Ruidoso Downs.

The 440-yard race for Quarter Horses also drew Apolltical Chad, the winner of last year’s Ruidoso Futurity; High Plains Perry, the winner of the 2016 Texas Classic Futurity; and Duponte, the winner of last year’s Heritage Place Futurity.

There were 11 trials for the Rainbow Derby on July 9. The horses with the 10 fastest times earned spots in the finale, while the horses with the 10 next-best times were preferred for the $100,000 Corona Cartel, which also will be run Saturday at Ruidoso.

KEY CONTENDERS

Hold Air Hostage, by Apollitical Jess

◗ The winner of the Heritage Place Derby in June at Remington Park, he set the standard for the Rainbow Derby when he won his trial in 21.41 seconds. He romped by 2 1/4 lengths as a $40,000 supplement to the trials. The decision to supplement came a few months after owner Dan Darling discussed options for the horse with trainer Judd Kearl.

“He said that Hold Air Hostage had to pay his way to Ruidoso,” Kearl said in a press release from Ruidoso. “Then [the horse] won the Heritage Place Derby, so I said to him, ‘We’re going to Ruidoso.’ ”

The first-place check for the Rainbow Derby is $483,000, according to Ruidoso.

◗ Hold Air Hostage is ranked seventh among 3-year-olds and up in the latest national poll put out by the American Quarter Horse Association.

◗ Rodrigo Vallejo has the mount from post 8.

Jess a Painted Wagon, by Pyc Paint Your Wagon

◗ The second-fastest qualifier, she is one of four fillies in the field, along with Kitty Kiernan, C Twister Seis, and Teller Baja.

◗ Jess a Painted Wagon won her trial in 21.49 seconds with Cody Jensen aboard for trainer Michael Joiner.

“We took the blinkers off two starts ago, and she’s made a lot of improvement,” Jensen told officials with Ruidoso. “As long as she can get away from the gate and has a hole to run through, she can do a lot of running on the other end.”

◗ Joiner and Kearl each have three starters in the finale.

Myst Fit, by Separatist

◗ He was second behind Jess a Painted Wagon in their trial July 9. It was the first loss in four starts this year for Myst Fit, whose winning streak included the Oklahoma Derby in March at Remington Park.

◗ He is one of two starters in the field from the barn of Trey Wood, along with High Plains Perry.