Javier and Manny Rodriguez’s Heartswideopen, with her dominating victory in the Grade 1, $446,439 Rainbow Derby on Saturday, July 19, at Ruidoso Downs, is now an All American Derby win away from becoming just the second All American Futurity winner to sweep the Ruidoso Downs’ derby triple crown .
The only other All American Futurity winner to return the following summer and win the Ruidoso, Rainbow and All American derbies is world champion DM Shicago, who was conditioned by Heartswideopen’s trainer Carl Draper.
“I can’t separate those two great horses,” Draper said after being asked if he is more confident of Heartswideopen’s prospects in the All American Derby than he was with DM Shicago’s at the same point in his career. “I am just lucky to have had them.”
Ridden for the first time by Bonifacio Perez, Heartswideopen broke straight from the outside post position in the Rainbow Derby and soon took command of the 440-yard dash.
“My horse was with her for a little while,” said Cody Jensen aboard runner-up Strong Hope. “But, she is such a great horse.”
Heartswideopen crossed the finish line a length in front of Strong Hope in :21.095. That time ended a record streak of three-consecutive 440-yard races under :21.00 for Heartswideopen, who was the fastest qualifier to the Rainbow Derby with her :20.976 trial win.
The champion daughter of Feature Mr Jess and Dashing Phoebe had also won her last two Grade 1 stakes, the All American Futurity and the Ruidoso Derby, from the outside post position, but in each of those races she drifted towards the outside rail before rallying for the victory. In the Rainbow Derby, she broke straight and true. “I wasn’t worried about that [her drifting out], but I was concerned that the inside of the track may have been faster earlier today,” Draper said.
Also, Draper wasn’t concerned about the jockey change on Heartswideopen. Oscar Hernandez had ridden her in nine of her 10 prior starts, including her three previous Grade 1 stakes wins. Hernandez came back from knee surgery for the Ruidoso summer season, but suffered a setback and will be sidelined for the rest of the year. “I feel sorry for Oscar,” Draper said. “But I have to take care of business. Bonifacio is a top race rider who has ridden for me before.”
Perez knew the enormity of a Rainbow Derby win on Heartswideopen’s resume. “I had never been so nervous in my career,” he said. “But when I got on her and petted her, she relaxed and I knew we would get along.”
Mike Abraham’s Strong Hope finished second for the second consecutive time in a Grade 1 derby. “It’s no disgrace to run second to her,” said trainer Fred Danley. “I’ll take it everytime.”
R.D. Hubbard and Johnny T.L. Jones’ Noconi finished third, three quarters of a length behind Strong Hope, to complete the identical 1-2-3 finish of the Ruidoso Derby. The homebred Mr Jess Perry son is affirming his reputation as the best maiden in quarter horse racing with five seconds and three thirds from 10 career starts, mainly against top stakes company. The Paul Jones-trained gelding was a close second in the Hobbs America Futurity and third in the Grade 1 Ruidoso Derby.
The $223,219 first-place check raised Heartwideopen’s career earnings to $1,705,125 and moved her into ninth-place on the all-time leading money-earning list for Quarter Horses. She is the third-richest female of all time and less than $50,000 behind Dashingly. Last year’s world champion Blues Girl Too is the all-time leading money earning female with $2,032,328.
Heartswideopen is now considered the prime contender for the 2008 world champion’s crown, a title won by DM Shicago in 2005. Last year, she was the overwhelming choice as the champion two-year-old and champion two-year-old filly. The complete order of finish in the Rainbow Derby was Heartswideopen, Strong Hope, Noconi, Rock Solid Jess, Brighton Beach, Illegal Memories (2007 champion two-year-old gelding), SF Royal Bank, Eye Of Glory and Possum Fust.