All American Derby

Trainer Xavier Rodriguez and breeder/owner La Feliz Montana Ranch LLC swept the exacta in the $1,080,788 All American Derby (G1) on Labor Day at The Downs at Albuquerque as FDD Dreams scored by a half-length over stablemate Ariatt. With Luis Martinez in the irons, FDD Dreams battled for the early lead and picked up his third career Grade 1 win with a 440-yard clocking of :21.204. The New Mexico-bred gelding by FDD Dynasty earned a 97 speed index as the 7-10 favorite. The race was held in Albuquerque for the second consecutive year due to the flooding earlier this summer at Ruidoso Downs. 

FDD Dreams was winning for the ninth time in 14 career starts, and this win pushed his bankroll to $1,755,325. His previous stakes wins include this year’s $823,066 Ruidoso Derby (G1) and last year’s $911,868 Texas Classic Futurity (G1) at Lone Star Park. He also qualified to and figured to be among the favorites in this year’s Rainbow Derby (G1), but the final was cancelled due to the flooding. The gelding was the fourth-fastest qualifier after running second in his All American Derby trial with a time of :20.976. That was the only time he's been defeated in five starts this year. FDD Dreams is out of Treasured Dreams, a winning Grade 1 qualifier by Apollitical Jess.

Ariatt, a Tempting Dash gelding ridden by Bryan Candanosa, earned the biggest payday of his career with a second-place finish. He was the fastest qualifier to the cancelled Rainbow Derby, just ahead of FDD Dreams. 

Arizona-bred KJ Born To Be Wild, an Apollitical Jess gelding running for trainer Wes Giles and breeders/owners John and Kathy Lee and Ruben Mares, finished a game third under jockey Noe Garcia Jr. 

Beach Fire, Holy Pete, Jess Sonny D, Hovland, Big Bang Rocket and AJs Flashnthachicks completed the order of finish. House Of Lords was scratched. 

Also on the card, Noel Rivera’s A Dream Fulfilled won the $100,000 All American Quarter Horse Invitational Stakes. Jesse Levario rode the Flying Cowboy 123 colt for trainer Ricardo Armendariz Jr. Bred in Oklahoma by J. Garvan Kelly and J. Lloyd Yother, A Dream Fulfilled has a record of 7-2-2-1 with earnings of $60,690. A Dream Fulfilled ran 440 yards in :21.242 for a 96 speed index.

Curls Magic Wagon was second with Mister Lights Out in third. 

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