The Inside Track by Tim Keithley: Road to All American Weekend - Ratification

Ratification – The First Lady of Barn 27 

There’s a First Lady of Barn 27 this summer, and her name is Ratification. She demands to be stalled in the middle of John Bucannon’s long barn on the backside of Ruidoso Downs and likes to know what is going on at all times.

“She’s a handful. She has to know what’s going on all the time. She’s very fidgety in her barn stall but when she gets to the race track, well, that’s a different story,” said Buchanan about the filly. “We’ve tried her in several stalls, and she just won’t settle down until things are quieted down all around. I think she wants to run our entire operation.”

Ratification gets all the attention in the Buchanan barn these days having won the first edition of the Rainbow Oaks, the new filly-only division of Rainbow Weekend. She was the upset winner July 18th over heavily-favored and previously undefeated Fernweh in the final to score her third win of the season and take home the winner’s share of $315,740.

Ratification’s victory was the end result in her connections making several crucial decisions including choosing to run in the Oaks division rather than the Rainbow Derby which remains open for all that are nominated.

“She loves the cool mountain air,” said Buchanan. “Bobby (Cox) and I have been coming to Ruidoso Downs for many years, and I think it’s hard for some horsemen to understand that some horses take to the altitude better than others. This filly loves it. She can breathe. She seemed to float on top of the race track the other day. She has a long stride when she gets moving down the racetrack and just feels right at home here.”

Ratification was raised on the ranch of legendary quarter horse owner and trainer Bobby Cox near Weatherford, Texas. She was first destined to be a lot in Remington Park’s Heritage Place Sale for yearlings but fate gave the filly a different direction.

“The filly colicked, and so circumstances allowed that we decided at the last minute not to put her through the sale ring,” said owner Cox. “So, we brought her home and decided to train her and run her for ourselves. It was meant to be. John and I have worked together for a long time, and we both love horses. He knows how to train them and get them prepared, and that’s exactly what he did with this filly.”

John prepared Ratification for her debut in the Rainbow Futurity last season. The filly won her trial race opening weekend and made the million-dollar final. “When she broke, she stumbled and strained her back. It was a fluke kind of injury,” said Buchanan. “It was the type of injury that just needed plenty of time to heal, so that’s what happened to her 2-year-old campaign.”

After a brief stint at Los Alamitos last fall, Ratification was turned out for the winter. She returned to race in an allowance at Remington Park in March with a troubled trip. Despite the set-backs, Buchanan never gave up on the filly. 

“We knew that she could run but just couldn’t seem to get her right,” said Buchanan. “Then she shows up here for the Ruidoso Derby and wins her trial. Then she wins her Rainbow Oaks trial by two lengths, and we’re thinking she’s finally turned things around and is coming into herself as an athlete.”

Buchanan said it was a difficult decision to choose to run Ratification in the Oaks rather than the Derby. 

“You had to choose rather to face Fernweh in the Oaks, or Hotsempting in the Derby. Take your pick,” quipped Buchanan. “We were pretty confident that with just four total trial races in the Oaks that it might be easier for her to make the final of the Oaks, so that’s why we made our decision. We think it was the right call. Although we may choose to try the open division for her in the All American next month.”

Buchanan said he likes the idea of splitting genders to create the Oaks division of the Rainbow and All American. This marks the first time in either of the races’ long histories that they have had an Oaks division. 

“It might give owners a second look at running a filly, keeping them in training and winning a significant stakes race,” said Buchanan.

Ratification is case and point. A horse that needed more time and development to finally see the winner’s circle in the Rainbow Oaks.