Page 165 - December 2021

All told, it was the ninth win in 10 starts this season (13 wins in 17 career starts lifetime) for Empressum, who also annexed the Oklahoma-Bred Derby-RG2 at Remington Park in April. His only defeat came in the All American Derby-G1 where he had a troubled start when he was seeking to become just the fourth 3-year-old Triple Crown Derby winner at Ruidoso Downs.
The $175,070 winner’s share of this lucrative purse made Empressum a millionaire. His bankroll now stands at $1,032,129 for owners-breeders Jeff Jones and Steve Holt. M. Heath Taylor trains the sorrel gelding, who was bred in Oklahoma out of the First Down Dash mare Crazy Down Corona.
“I would like to dedicate this race to Steve Holt’s daughter who is undergoing cancer treatment,” Taylor shared with the media following the win. “Hope this can give her a little bit of something to cheer about. It takes a team effort. He beat the horse at Ruidoso that set the fastest time in the Champion of Champions trials, he beat the horse that won the Super Derby by 3-lengths, and he broke a long-standing track record at Ruidoso. I don’t know how you could ask for anything more.”
Holt added, “This is a very special horse.”
Runner-up B Cause Im A Hero (Valiant Hero-Jess B Mighty) turned in a big effort under Jorge Torres. Sent off at odds of 50-1, the sorrel colt showed the way early and proved a stubborn foe in the lane. The 4-time winner and finalist
in the Ruidoso Invitational and All American Invitational over the summer at Ruidoso Downs is owned by Larry Marcum and Nancy Wells and is trained by Clinton Crawford. B Cause Im A Hero is set to enter stud in 2022 at Double LL Farms in New Mexico.
Pops First Lady (Apollitical Jess- Shazooms Pop Pop) rallied strongly late for jockey Bryan Candanosa to finish third. The sorrel filly is owned by Ramon Calvillo and was saddled by trainer Eric Long. Pops
First Lady finished second in the Firecracker Derby-G2 at Delta Downs over the summer.
KJ Sonny P (Apollitical Jess-Tres Veses), Apolliticalfastprize (Apollitical Jess-Ms Fast First Prize), Valiantt (Valiant Hero-Astica), Watch Him B Famous (One Famous Eagle-Lady Lilla), Hes Innocent (Hes Relentless-End Of Innocence), Ima Catboy (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Jess Goldiggers) & Jess Adamant (Freighttrain B-Perryphery) followed.
RACING NEWS
Empressum’s winning connections include owners/breeders Jeff Jones and Steve Holt, trainer heath Taylor and jockey Rodrigo Vallejo.
Empressum on his way to victory.
SPEEDHORSE December 2021 163
Dustin Orona Photography Dustin Orona Photography