Page 160 - August 2021

RACING NEWS
Rainbow Derby-G1
EMPRESSUM
by Tracy Gantz
Steve Holt recalls several people giving him similar advice about Apollitical Jess offspring: “If you get an Apollitical Jess colt that can run much at 2, he will be a superstar at 3.”
Those words have proved amazingly prophetic for Empressum, an Apollitical Jess 3-year-old gelding owned and bred by Steve Holt of Guthrie, Oklahoma, and Jeff Jones of Pembroke, North Carolina. Empressum went from a decent runner at 2 to perfection this year. He has now won six consecutive races in 2021. His victory in the July 24 Rainbow Derby-G1 at Ruidoso Downs will allow him to become only the fourth horse ever to win the Derby Triple Crown if he can add the All American Derby-G1.
Empressum triumphed in the Rainbow Derby in such stellar fashion that rivals should be very worried about encountering him again. With Rodrigo Vallejo aboard, Empressum rocketed to the front.
Ruidoso Downs
$678,253 • 440 yards :21.131 • si 102
APOLLITICAL JESS
si 107
Bred by: Juan Alberto Tirado Lizarraga
Raced to 3 • $1,399,831 14-8(2)-4(2)-0
994 f., 84 SW • $41,703,682
MR JESS PERRY si 113
Bred by: Jesse Perry
Raced to 4 • $687,184 21-12(5)-2(1)-0
1,930 f., 156 SW • $58,868,330
Bred by: Jeff Jones & Steve Holt
Raced to 3
$790,491 13-10(3)-0-0
APOLLITICAL TIME si 104 Bred by: Vessels Stallion Farm LLC
Raced to 6 • $904,242 35-14(10)-7(2)-5(4)
12 f., 1 SW • $1,524,188
CRAZY DOWN CORONA
si 96
Bred by: Steve A. Holt Raced to 3 • $73,162 6-2-1-0
8 f., 1 SW • $884,962
FIRST DOWN DASH si 105 Bred by: A F Stanley Jr./ BF Phillips Jr.
Raced to 3 • $857,256 15-13(8)-1(1)-0
2,508 f., 258 SW • $89,466,758
CRAZY ABOUT CORONA si 100 Bred by: Ginger & Rainy Graham Raced to 3 • $90,252 16-7(1)-2(1)-2(2)
12 f., 1 SW • $436,757
158 SPEEDHORSE August 2021
Empressum and jockey Rodrigo Vallejo win the $678,253 Rainbow Derby-G1 by 1 1/2-lengths.
Ruidoso Downs
EMPRESSUM, ‘18-g.