KJ Desparado and Lethal Avenger are Top Two Qualifiers for Rainbow Derby Final at Ruidoso Downs Race Track

      Ruidoso Downs, NM—KJ Desparado and Lethal Avenger, two dominating race horses this summer at Ruidoso Downs Race Track, will square off again in the final of the $645.329 Rainbow Derby.

      The two three-year-olds won their respective trial races today to advance to the final to be run on Saturday, July 23. They faced each other in the Ruidoso Derby last month with KJ Desparado coming out on top.

      KJ Desparado, winner of the 2021 All American Futurity, won for the seventh consecutive time in the sixth race. The gelding led all the way covering 440 yards in the fastest time of the day, 21.285 seconds with jockey Adrian Ramos aboard for training Wes Giles and owners John and Kathy Lee and Ruben Mares.

     “He is training better every day,” Ramos said in the winner’s circle. “He’s in All American form right now. I like the way he responded when he was challenged and I think that will help us down the road.”

     Gamblers bet KJ Desparado down to five-cents on the dollar. The horse paid $2.10, $2.10 and $2.10. The gelding is sired by Apollitical Jess out of the mare Tres Veses by Tres Seis and has career earnings of about $2.4 million.

     Meanwhile, Lethal Avenger took care of the seventh race with ease by a winning margin of about three-and-a-half lengths in the second fastest time of the day, 21.321 seconds.

     Ridden by Noe Garcia, Lethal Avenger paid $3.80, $2.80 and $2.10. The gelding is trained by Fred Danley and owned by J & SM (Sue May) and Don and Lane Reynolds. The sire is Volcom out of the mare Lethal Class by Tres Seis.

     Additional Rainbow Derby finalists include: Significant Dynasty in 21.374 seconds; The Big Favorite in 21.387 seconds; Favorite Blues Man in 21.408 seconds; Minecraft in 21.423 seconds; A Pollitical Candy V in 21.454 seconds; Delight Us All in 21.466 seconds; Sippin Hayden in 21.471 seconds; and Fdd Scout in 21.494 seconds.

       In trials for the $348,826 Rainbow Oaks, Kiss The Cartel and jockey Rickey Ramirez won the 3rd race by a length-and-a-quarter in the fastest qualifying time of 21.336 seconds. The filly paid $5.20, $3.40 and $2.20 for trainer Trey Wood and owners Lonnie and Kody Horwood. Kiss The Cartel’s sire is Kiss My Hocks out of the mare A Snowy Cartel by Corona Cartel.

     Rainbow Oaks qualifiers also include: Sunshine Nmy Pocket in 21.369 seconds; Lil Bit a Candy in 21.411 seconds; Shesa Relentless Gal in 21.510 seconds; Jess Dream of Me in 21.525 seconds; Vytaliti in 21.528 seconds; Koalition in 21.568 seconds; Sassalitical in 21.577 seconds; Candy Going Grand in 21.592 seconds; and Miss Beth Dutton in 21.601 seconds.

      The Rainbow Oaks final will also be run on Saturday, July 23.