RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—JULY 14, 2019—Bill T. Robbins' champion and multimillionaire Apocalyptical Jess puts his undefeated 2019 record on the line as the horse to beat in the Grade 1, $1,008,129 Rainbow Derby on Saturday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.

The horses with the 10-fastest times from the Rainbow Derby trials compete in the Rainbow Derby. The horses with the next 10-fastest times gain priority to race in the $100,000 Corona Cartel on Saturday afternoon.

All horses racing in the Rainbow Derby and the Grade 1, $1-million Rainbow Futurity on Sunday afternoon successfully passed state-of-the art out-of-competition blood and hair testing for illegal substances before they were entered in the finals for each race. The testing was conducted by the New Mexico Racing Commission and supported by All American Ruidoso Downs.

If Apocalyptical Jess wins the Rainbow Derby his opportunity to take the $1-million All American Triple Crown Derby Bonus remains alive. The bonus goes to the connections of any horse who can win the Ruidoso Derby, Rainbow Derby and the All American Derby.

Apocalyptical Jess won the Grade 1, $958,000 Ruidoso Derby to become the only horse eligible to compete for the bonus.

This year, Apocalyptical Jess has been unbeatable in his five starts, all in top derbies or trials. His perfect record has led to his current number-one ranking among older horses in the American Quarter Horse Association national poll.

Trainer Trey Wood started Apocalyptical Jess at Remington Park this spring and the gelding dominated then $319,975 Remington Park Oklahoma-bred Derby by one and three quarter lengths.

Apocalyptical Jess built on that momentum when he came to Ruidoso Downs.

In his first 2019 start at Ruidoso Downs, he won his Ruidoso Derby trial by two lengths with the fastest-qualifying time to the Ruidoso Derby. He covered the 400 yards in :19.749.

The gelding by Apollitical Jess then won the Ruidoso Derby by a neck and pushed his earnings above $2-million. His earnings now stand at $2,086,573, the fifth-highest mark in quarter horse racing history. If he takes the $423,414 first-place check in the Rainbow Derby, he will have earned $2,509,987 and move up to second on the all-time earnings list.

The 1-5 favorite in his Rainbow Derby trial, Apocalyptical Jess responded with a one-length win and his time of :21.354 equaled the second-fastest qualifying mark from 10 trials.

Last year, Apocalyptical Jess earned the champion two-year-old gelding title on the strength of his three-quarter-length win in the Grade 1, $3-million All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs.

"He won't get any fitter," trainer Trey Wood said. "He's eating and as long as he's eating we're aren't changing anything.

"He just hangs out and we run him."

Ricky Ramirez rides Apocalyptical Jess with the 10th post position.

Topping the qualifiers' list was Daniel Nunez and Ernesto Fierro's Excessive Gambler. The One Dashing Eagle-sired gelding won his trial with a time of :21.343.

Excessive Gambler surprised at 7-1 odds in his trial when he won by one length.

One of three Rainbow Derby finalists trained by Jose Luis Muela, Excessive Gambler makes his stakes debut in the Rainbow Derby. He won his trials to the Grade 1, $1-million Rainbow Futurity and the Grade 1, $3-million All American Futurity last summer at Ruidoso Downs.

"He knows when it's business when he's on the track," Muela said. "He has become a different horse. He just wants to do it."

Esgar Ramirez rides Excessive Gambler with the fifth post position.

Muela also saddles fourth-fastest qualifier Mystic Blues and fifth-fastest qualifier Eagle Coast.

R H Resources' Breaking New Ground shares second-fastest qualifier status at :21.354 with Apocalyptical Jess.

Breaking New Ground rallied during the final half of his trial to win by one-half length under jockey Cody Jensen.

A gelding by One Dashing Eagle, Breaking New Ground qualified for last fall's Grade 2, $344,000 Hobbs America Futurity and raced in the $100,000 Mr Jess Perry two starts ago.

Trainer Todd Fincher will have Cody Jensen ride Breaking New Ground with the sixth post position.

In a wide open 440-yard Corona Cartel, Joe Rios' Suze Returns is the 3-1 morning-line favorite.

The daughter of High Rate Of Return should be dangerous with her stakes resume and a close second-place run behind 38-1 longshot Df Lord Garvan in their Rainbow Derby trial. Darling Farms' homebred Df Lord Garvan makes his stakes debut in the Corona Cartel.

A year ago, Suze Returns won the won the Grade 2, $269,000 West Texas Futurity by a neck as the 5-2 favorite, was second by one-half length behind Blue Corazon in the Grade 1, $1 million Ruidoso Futurity and third in the Grade 1, $150,000 Southwest Juvenile Championship. She was the fastest qualifier during the second day of trials to the Grade 1, $1-million Rainbow Futurity.

Suze Returns opened her 2019 campaign with an allowance win over a deep field before her runner-up effort in her Rainbow Derby trial. Jaime Parga Leos rides Suze Returns from the sixth post position in the Corona Cartel.

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