Page 133 - Speedhorse, October 2021

“I had faith in
my horse from the start,” said Ramos. “He has been strong all season and finally put it all together today.”
Trainer Wes Giles
Jockey Adrian Ramos
RACING NEWS
Things didn’t improve in the Rainbow. He again qualified, despite another bumping incident in his trial, and got slammed again from both sides in the final, finishing seventh.
“He qualified for four futurities, and in three of them he got T-boned,” said John.
KJ Desparado collected the biggest
one, however. The Lees had previously run second in the All American with Bigg Daddy in 2017, fourth with Apolltical Chad in 2016, and sixth with Wild Six in 2007.
John was also pleased for their partner, Mares, a good friend and the superintendent of one of John’s companies in the pipeline industry. John and Ruben are hands on, mucking stalls and feeding horses mornings and evenings in between their day jobs.
The Lees bred KJ Desparado in Arizona from their homebred Tres Veses. The mare has produced five winners in seven starters, including stakes-placed Hardtookiss. Giles trained Tres Veses and Hardtookiss as well, having been the Lees’ trainer since 2001.
“He’s my buddy—the only trainer I’ve ever had,” said John. “He’s there at five in the morning and leaves at five or six in the afternoon seven days a week. He’s probably the best man I know at keeping a horse sound. He won’t run a horse that’s not sound. And he’s got a lot of integrity.”
Paragon Farms LLC’s homebred FDD Scout (FDD Dynasty-Apollitical Scout) finished second under jockey Tanner Thedford for trainer Trey Wood. Earlier this year, the gelding won the Ruidoso Juvenile
Stakes and finished fourth in the Rainbow Futurity-G1.
Sippin Hayden (A Revenant-Entrust), a homebred for Rafter W Stables, ran third. Jose Enrique Ortiz rode the gelding for trainer Michael Joiner. Sippin Hayden previously won two races, his trials for the Rainbow Futurity-G1 and the All American Futurity.
Completing the field were Jess Savin Candy (Jess Good Candy-Savin Grace),
El Painted Eagle (One Dashing Eagle- Royally Painted), Jess Dream Of Me (Apollitical Jess-Valiant Jess), Jess Dealin (Dealagame-Jess Marcy), and Press Is My Hero (Valiant Hero-Preslee The First). Kat Eye Kylie (Favorite Cartel-Elicity) lost his rider at the start, and Favorite Blues Man was scratched.
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