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Rainbow Derby-G1
CERS FINAL TRY
by Tracy Gantz
The late Charles Robinson loved to watch his horses race so much that, despite a physical disability, he and a friend drove a motor home from North Carolina to Ruidoso Downs to see his Imperial Eagle win the 2016 All American Futurity-G1. Robinson died in 2017, but the last horse he bred, Cers Final Try, is continuing the legacy, most recently winning the $710,414 Rainbow Derby-G1 at Ruidoso Downs on July 18.
Tony Sedillo trained Imperial Eagle,
who was the 2016 Champion 2 Year Old & Champion 2-Year-Old Gelding, and now trains Cers Final Try for Robinson’s widow, Christina.
“He was super good—one of the best own- ers you can come across,” said Sedillo about Charles. “He let you do your job. He was awe- some. It’s too bad he left us so quick. I think we’d have had a pretty good outcome of the horses he was coming up with.”
For the Rainbow Derby, Cers Final Try had to face the filly Hotsempting, who had defeated him in the Ruidoso Derby-G1.
Hotsempting qualified the fastest for the Rainbow Derby on July 5, with Cers Final
Try the 2nd-fastest qualifier. The filly went off as the 7-10 favorite, and Cers Final Try was the 4-1 second choice.
Alfredo Sigala has been
riding Cers Final Try at
Ruidoso this year and was
back aboard for the Rainbow final.
“We didn’t break with the pack, and we were behind a little early,” Sigala said. “Tony told me not to worry about breaking, that my horse would be best in the final 150 yards, and he was right.”
Hotempting flew to the front, but Sedillo had correctly predicted how Cers Final Try would perform.
“It looked to me like we were third or fourth the whole way,” Sedillo said. “I just kept screaming that we were going to catch her.
It looked like the last 40 yards was where he
really accelerated. He ran a good race. That horse has a lot of heart.”
Cers Final Try did indeed come f lying late, defeating Hotsempting by a head. The gelding com- pleted 440 yards in :21.368, posting a 96 speed index.
“It was too close of a photo that could have gone either way,” said
Sedillo. “But this horse has such a late rush to the finish, I thought we might be in pretty good shape.”
Christina Robinson didn’t attend the race, but called Sedillo immediately on his cell phone.
“I’m very happy for their family and proud of this racehorse,” Sedillo said.
Sedillo gelded Cers Final Try early, turning the colt into a much more focused gelding.
“We left him a colt, and then we had a lot of trouble with him as a 2 year old,” the trainer said. “He got to flipping in the gates. We knew
Ruidoso Downs $710,414 • 440 yards :21.368 • si 96
One Famous Eagle
One Dashing Eagle
One Sweet Dash
CERS FINAL TRY, ‘17-g.
Corona Cartel
BP Shes All Corona
Shes Takes All
RACING NEWS
Cers Final Try (#4) and jockey Alfredo Sigala win the $710,414 Rainbow Derby.
SPEEDHORSE August 2020 129
Susan Bachelor