Vazquez has first starter with Ratification in All American Oaks

Juan Vazquez has spent the summer at Ruidoso Downs frequently exercising Ratification, a demanding filly who is one of the top 3-year-old Quarter Horses in the nation.

“She’s tough,” Vazquez said. “If we don’t take her out of the stalls, she goes crazy. Sometimes we have to do it two or three times a day.”

A former jockey, Vazquez retired from riding in 2017 and became an assistant trainer to John Buchanan, who urged him to consider starting his own stable. Vazquez never imagined he would inherit Buchanan’s stable.

On Aug. 28, Buchanan died of heart complications in Ruidoso, N.M. Vazquez, 49, will have his first runner Sunday when Ratification starts as a heavy favorite in the $421,165 All American Oaks at Ruidoso Downs.

“It’s been pretty hard for us,” Vazquez said. “We need to do this for Big John.”

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Owned by Bobby Cox, Ratification was the fastest qualifier for the All American Oaks from four time trials on Aug. 23. She ran 440 yards in 21.26 seconds. The second-fastest qualifier was trial race winner Kieva in 21.533.

“She looked pretty impressive,” Vazquez said. “She’s a real fast filly. I think we have the best filly in the race.”

This is the first running of the All American Oaks, which allows fillies to have their own leading late summer race instead of facing males in Sunday’s $1,077,688 All American Derby.

Last month, Ratification won the first running of the Rainbow Derby, finishing a head in front of Valiant Astica, who is part of the All American Oaks field.

Valiant Astica finished a disappointing third behind Kieva at 3-10 in the All American Oaks trials, but was fast enough to gain a berth in the final.

Aside from Kieva, the leading threat to Ratification is Kiss Thru Fire, who won a division of the trials in 21.537.

The $125,000 All American Gold Cup on Sunday has drawn an outstanding field of older horses, including the first three finishers of the $350,000 Championship at Sunland Park last December – Valiant Tiberias, Danjer, and Hes Limitless.

Valiant Tiberias won the leading prep race for the All American Gold Cup – the Mr Jet Moore Handicap at 400 yards on Aug. 2 – and figures to be favored in a field of eight.

The Gold Cup will be the Ruidoso debut of Dexxter, the dominant older horse at the Remington Park winter-spring meeting. Dexxter won the Leo Stakes at 400 yards on May 2 and the Remington Park Championship at 440 yards on May 30.

Danjer drew the rail in his first start at Ruidoso Downs this summer. Trained by Dean Frey, Danjer was eighth by 1 3/4 lengths in the Remington Park Championship and rebounded to win the Canterbury Challenge Championship at 440 yards in Minnesota on July 7 in track-record time of 21.30.