El Rayo Amarillo (#10), under jockey Jose Lopez , winning the Pocatello Downs Fall Derby (not black-type) on Saturday's race card.

© Kira Crook

POCATELLO, ID—SEPTEMBER 5, 2020—The second highest price in the field, El Rayo Amarillo pulled off the upset win in the $4,000 Pocatello Downs Fall Derby (not black-type) at Pocatello on Saturday evening.

Jose Lopez rode El Rayo Amarillo ($33.80) to a narrow victory over He Forged It. The pair dueled to the wire until El Rayo Amarillo finished by a head in front.

The final time for the 350-yard race was :17.629; the winner earned a 96 speed index.

El Rayo Amarillo is owned and trained by Ricardo Mariles. He was bred in Idaho by Juventino Garcia, by Ma Ma My Corona and out of the Snowbound mare No Yellow Snow.

The winning connections of El Rayo Amarillo accept the Pocatello Downs Derby stakes trophy. © Keri Crook

The Fall Derby was the third career victory for El Rayo Amarillo in 11 career starts. He also competed in the Adequan Pocatello Downs Derby Challenge in July and ran in the Royle Thomson Memorial Derby in Burley. This was his first career stakes win.

He Forged It and Nakia Ramirez finished second in the gelding’s first stakes appearance. The Corona Czech gelding is trained by Dabid Romero.

He Forged It was bred in Idaho by his owners, Jolynn Wheeler and Cinda Thomas, out of She Forged It, by Forged. He broke his maiden at Blackfoot as a 2-year-old and most recently won an allowance in Burley last month.

Jills Mountain was a close third with Cesar Moreno aboard. The 3-year-old filly is trained by Adrian Zavala for owner Miguel Zavala. Kent Arbuckle bred the daughter of Jr Dynasty Mountain in Utah, out of KJ Streaking Jill, by Dash Ta Fame.

Completing the field were Maximo II, Trumpster, Double Sledge, Snowsa Flying, Sheza Tacy Gator, Eyem Country and Tricky Dasher.