Page 78 - February 2021

Champion 3 Year Old, Champion 3-Year-Old Gelding, Supreme Race Horse
EMPRESSUM si 110, $1,098,629
Empressum winning the 2021 Rainbow Derby.
Breeders: Jeff D. Jones & Steve A. Holt Owners: Jeff D. Jones & Steve A. Holt Trainer: Heath Taylor
Jockey: Rodrigo Vallejo
2021 Record: 10-9(4)-0-0, $969,755
Rainbow D.-G1, Ruidoso D.-G1, Texas Cl. D.-G1, Remington Park Okla. Bred D.-RG2, Fnl. All American D.-G1.
On a cold winter day at Louisiana Downs, co-breeder and co-owner Steve Holt dropped off Empressum with trainer Heath Taylor.
“It started with great expectations,” Taylor recalled. “As he handed me the lead rope to lead the horse into the shedrow, he said, ‘Here’s a check for six months in advance. I’ll take Champion 3-Year-Old Gelding.’ ”
Holt was right except for one thing: Empressum not only won the 2021 Champion 3-Year-Old Gelding title, he also added the 3 Year Old Champion title.
“The horse is just a true blessing, a really sound horse who just really enjoyed his job,” said Taylor.
Holt, who bred and owns the horse with
Jeff Jones, said that Empressum “was just an outstanding baby.” He explained that Jones named the horse, and the name certainly sums it up.
Empressum began his 3-year-old season with a win in the trials to the Remington Park Oklahoma Bred Derby-RG2. When the gate opened for
the finals, the ground slipped from under him. Holt complimented jockey Rodrigo Vallejo with patiently handling the gelding. Despite a hard bump, Empressum came on to win by a neck.
At Ruidoso Downs, Empressum collected both the Ruidoso Derby-G1 and Rainbow Derby-G1 in a pair of outstanding performances, winning each one emphatically. He set a track record of :19.149 for 400 yards in winning his Ruidoso Derby trial. Empressum got away quickly in the Rainbow Derby and scored by 1 1/2-lengths.
“That colt was up in the bit, and he was anticipating the break and just left there gone,” said Holt.
Unfortunately, a poor start cost Empressum the All American Derby-G1 and the chance
at a Triple Crown. But he wasn’t finished. He returned for the Texas Classic Derby-G1 at Lone Star Park, setting another track record for :21.030 at 440 yards.
At the awards ceremony, Holt credited Taylor, Vallejo, and Taylor’s entire crew, saying, “To take a horse and keep him in the hunt that long all year, that’s a job that’s hard to do.”
APOLLITICAL JESS
si 107
Bred by: Juan Alberto Tirado Lizarraga
Raced to 3 • $1,399,831 14-8(2)-4(2)-0
1,076 foals, 97 SW Progeny Earnings: $47,378,675
MR JESS PERRY si 113 Bred by: Jesse Perry Raced to 4 • $687,184 21-12(5)-2(1)-0 1,950 f, 158 SW Progeny Earnings: $59,535,100
STREAKIN LA JOLLA si 99 Bred by: B F Phillips/Delbert Smith Raced to 3 • $56,227
8-8(1)-0-0
1,535 f, 87 SW • $25,112,496
STREAKIN SIX si 104
BOTTOM’S UP si 82
SCOOPIE FEIN si 99 Bred by: Strole D. G. Dr. & Mrs. Raced to 4 • $15,807 20-6-3-4
8 f, 1 SW • $837,511
SINN FEIN si 98
LEGS LA SCOOP si 95
APOLLITICAL TIME si 104 Bred by: Vessels Stallion Farm LLC
Raced to 6 • $904,242 35-14(10)-7(2)-5(4)
12 foals, 1 SW Progeny Earnings: $1,526,756
APOLLO TB
Bred by: Eclipse Investment & Leon Rasmussen
Raced to 6 • $354,475 23-5(2)-4(4)-4(3)
738 f, 36 SW • $14,699,395
FALSTAFF TB
TUMBLE ALONG TB
HALF TIME ATTRACTION si 96 Bred by: Tom Carlson/Vessels Stln Frm Raced to 2 • $14,734
11-1-2(1)-2(1)
18 f, 1 SW • $1,032,161
FIRST DOWN DASH si 105
FAVORITE ATTRACTION si 88
CRAZY DOWN
CORONA
si 96
Bred by: Steve A. Holt Raced to 3 • $73,162 6-2-1-0
8 foals, 1 SW Progeny Earnings: $1,197,846
FIRST DOWN DASH si 105 Bred by: A. F. Stanley Jr./ B.F. Phillips Jr.
Raced to 3 • $857,256 15-13(8)-1(1)-0
2,513 foals, 258 SW Progeny Earnings: $89,706,590
DASH FOR CASH si 114 Bred by: B. F. Phillips Jr. Raced to 4 • $507,689 25-21(9)-3(2)-0
1,368 f, 145 SW • $39,991,197
ROCKET WRANGLER si 97
FIND A BUYER N/A
FIRST PRIZE ROSE si 98 Bred by: Gordon H. Wilson Raced to 4 • $22,754 34-6-8(1)-6(1)
7 f., 2 SW • $986,098
GALLANT JET si 102
ROSE BUG si 96
CRAZY ABOUT CORONA
si 100
Bred by: Ginger & Rainy Graham
Raced to 3 • $90,252 16-7(1)-2(1)-2(2)
12 foals, 1 SW
Progeny Earnings: $436,857
CORONA CARTEL si 97 Bred by: Robert D. Etchandy Raced to 3 • $557,142 14-6(3)-3-0
2,053 f, 184 SW • $66,163,097
HOLLAND EASE si 109
CORONA CHICK si 113
FONTANA BEAUJOLAIS si 94 Bred by: Herbert Graham
Raced to 3 • $31,063
12-2(1)-2-2(1)
16 f, 2 SW • $566,694
MOON LARK si 99
DEBONAIRESS si 94
76 SPEEDHORSE February 2022
Jake Rogers, Ruidoso Downs