Page 27 - 8 August 2012

Rainbow Derby-G1
OCHOA
by Stacy Pigott
The 2012 Rainbow Derby was billed as a rematch between two Champions—2011 Champion 2-Year-Old Ochoa and 2011 Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Feature Mr Bojangles. But the rematch didn’t mean much to trainer Sleepy Gilbreath, who was just glad to see his charge Ochoa return to form with
a solid win in the $903,774 race on July 21 at Ruidoso Downs.
“It was a pretty big relief to me,” said Gilbreath, who was more than ready for Ochoa’s return to the championship form he showed last year.
Ochoa, who won last year’s All American Futurity-G1 en route to his championship title, encountered some trouble upon his return to the track as a 3-year-old. He ran second in his 2012 debut in a trial to the Ruidoso Derby-G1, qualifying for the finals. But when he returned on June 9, a troubled start left him without a chance, finishing a well-beaten ninth.
“He just kind of threw a fit in the gate and then wasn’t standing very good and fell on his head and didn’t get away at all,” said Gilbreath. “I might have left that horse off too long to have him really right for the Ruidoso.”
Gilbreath took some extra care with Ochoa after the Ruidoso Derby, standing the horse
in the gates a few extra times to prepare him for the Rainbow Derby-G1 trials. The extra effort was worth it, as Ochoa drew in the same Rainbow trial as Feature Mr Bojangles.
Despite veering out at the break and spot- ting Feature Mr Bojangles a large lead, Ochoa rallied to win the heat by three-quarters of a length in the third-fastest qualifying time of :21.634. The two champions were the only two horses to qualify from the fourth of seven trials. All of the other qualifiers, with the exception of Priceless Feature who won the second, came from the final two trials of the day, when the track was tighter and the wind had died down.
“He was on the outside, and he did go out a little bit, but not all that bad,” said Gilbreath. “A lot of horses will do that. But he got away pretty good. The last two trips he’s been real good.”
Ochoa’s most recent trip was in the Rainbow Derby. Ridden by regular rider Roy Baldillez, Ochoa broke well from the five hole, but not as quickly as some of his competitors.
“He got away good, but it looked like they just outfooted him there for a ways,” Gilbreath said. “He was trying to get by those horses before he did, but the four horse (Tres Seis
Nueve) kept coming out a little bit, and he just run along there looking at him. Finally Roy saw a place and got on by. He didn’t win by much.”
Ochoa posted only a head victory over Heritage Place Derby-G1 winner Priceless Feature, ridden by 71-year-
old jockey Roy Brooks.
“That danged ol’ Roy Brooks got out there on the lead and kind of went crazy,” Gilbreath said with a laugh. “I didn’t think we were going to get the job done. I’m always happy to see Roy Brooks ride, though. At that age and to ride as good as he can, it’s amazing to watch.”
Ochoa’s return to the
winner’s circle after a Grade
1 race was gratifying for
Gilbreath, and earned $379,586 for the geld- ing’s owners, T.L. “Johnny” Jones’ J Bar 7 Ranch, Douglas Benson and Monte and Katsy Kluck. The $903,774 Rainbow Derby purse surpasses last year’s record purse of $899,523, and marks the sixth year in a row the Rainbow Derby has established a new purse record.
“He’s kind of getting back in the groove now I think. He trains up big. He likes to go to the racetrack, he’ll bow his neck and pull. He shows a lot of class out there,” Gilbreath said of
Ochoa, adding, “There’s something about an All American winner...you’ll try to spoil them a little bit. That’s kind of what might have hap- pened to him. We spoiled him.”
Now that he is back on track, Ochoa is sure to be one of the favorites in
the All American Derby-G1 trials on August 17.
Priceless Feature held on for second in the Rainbow Derby, a head in front of stablemate Jess Lips in third. Eddie Willis trains both horses. Ed Melzer owns Priceless Feature (Feature Mr Jess-Southern Price), who had won five of his last six races entering the Rainbow Derby. Jimmy Brooks rode Jess Lips (Mr Jess Perry-Loose Lips) for
owner Samuel Valeriano.
The top three finishers in the Rainbow
Derby were followed across the wire by Tres Seis Neuve (Tres Seis-Ya Ya Sisterhood), Feature Mr Bojangles (Feature Mr Jess-Catch This Dash), Jesscuzican (Feature Mr Jess- Covenant Confirmer), fastest qualifier Feature Mr Who (Feature Mr Jess-Whosleaving Corona), Bills Last (Shazoom-Crystalinas), YM Quick (Valiant Hero-Also A High), and CD Riggins (Desirio-Super Perla Negra).
Ruidoso Downs

Sixarun
Tres Seis
Our Third Delight
OCHOA, ’09-g.
Stoli
Stolis Fortune
Splashing Fortune
Ochoa and jockey Roy Baldillez scored a head victory in the $903,774 Rainbow Derby-G1.
SPEEDHORSE, August 3, 2012 27
RACING NEWS
Ruidoso Downs