Page 180 - Speedhorse June 2019

Mexico Derby
LA RAPID DOVE
by Luis Prieto Zamudio, translation by Eduardo Silveyra
The 10 finalists of the Mexico Derby came out of the demanding trials carried out on April 14, where 61 three-year-old runners raised in Mexico raced at a distance of 300 yards. The prize was $1,326,800 pesos (approx. $64,454 U.S.).
From that first stage came the filly Juanita Cartel, who from the second race set the best qualifying time of :15.171, with Crisp Horse being the second closest competitor at :15.247, who was herself accompanied by the powerful AS Macho, who now went down to the sixth position in the list of times, something unusual for him. It was this entry of Cuadra Falcón which monopo- lized the betting odds on April 28, when the 10 contestants returned to the scene for the finals.
When the race was dispatched, a clash-
ing between AG Romina and Juanita Cartel was observed, where the first one got it the worst. Meanwhile in the middle of the group, something similar happened between AS Macho and LA Silver Star. However, AS Macho took the lead, but in his attack he invaded Juanita Cartel’s route, forcing his rider, Heriberto Camacho, to shorten the pace. The
race continued to feature
the red bay BB Cartel in the
center, but soon the “white
ghost” called LA Rapid Dove
appeared on the far right,
who, with powerful strides,
first overtook BB Cartel and
then AS Macho, to everyone’s surprise, crossing the final line a neck ahead of the rest.
To achieve his feat, the grey colt finished in :15.11 and was credited with a 96 speed index over the muddy track, the best he has obtained so far. He qualified to this test by winning his race in :15.366 for the eighth best clocking. He was ridden on both occasions by jockey Yair Daniel Báez Soto and always has been trained by Rubén Romo García and his team.
The Mexico Derby is his first classic and third victory in 13 starts, plus two seconds and two third places. In his first racing season, he participated in all the futurities reserved for horses bred in Mexico and/or presented at the 2017 Auction Selecta at the Hipodromo de las Americas, achieving third place in the Mexican
Breeders Futurity. He was consigned by his breeder Ramiro González Ozuna, who bought him back for his Cuadra Los Gavilanes, closing at $150,000 pesos (approx. $8,402 U.S.).
He is the son of the stallion Rapid Fire Jess and out of the mare Separate Dove by Separatist. Rapid Fire Jess (si 103) is a Texas Hi-Point Three Year Old Colt and placed in stakes with earnings of $34,014. His top run- ner is LA Rapid King Judea, who in 2018 won the Selecta Auction Futurity and was named Champion Mexican Two-Year-Old Colt by the Mexican Association of Quarter Horse Breeders and Horsemen A.C.
For this result, he added to his account $557,256 pesos (approx. $29,170 U.S.) to bring his total to $963,978 pesos in his career.
The 2018 AQHA Mexican Champion and Horse of the Year, AS Macho, finished in second place under the command of José Ángel Ambrosio Medina for Cuadra Falcón
Hipodromo de las Americas $64,454 • 300 yards :15.11 • si 96
Feature Mr Jess
Rapid Fire Jess
Dollish
LA RAPID DOVE, ’16-c.
Separatist
Separate Dove
The Dove
178 SPEEDHORSE, June 2019
La Rapid Dove wins the $64,454 Mexico Derby under rider Yair Daniel Baez.
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