Visa and jockey Bryan Candanosa led a field of five quarter horses to qualify for the $800,000 Rainbow Derby in the 14th and final trial race Saturday at Ruidoso Downs Race Track.
Visa won by one-and-one-quarter length over Politiko, Johnny Ringo 123, Scream Machine and JS On Fire in the fastest time of the day, 21.584 seconds for 400-yards.
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Last year's 3-year-old filly standout Dark NME, also qualified. The winner of last season’s Rainbow Futurity and the Texas Classic Futurity at Lone Star Park, showed her class in the eighth trial race in winning by one-and-three-quarters lengths in a time of 21.636 seconds for 400-yards.
Rainbow Oaks qualifiers
Asscher and jockey Christian Ramos broke sharply and cleared the field by two lengths to win the tenth trial race on Sunday and qualify with the fastest time in trials for the $483,384 Rainbow Oaks.
Asscher won for the fifth time in ten career starts including a victory in the Los Alamitos Oaks in March. The filly advanced to the finals of the Rainbow Oaks which will be run here on Sunday, July 21.
Asscher ran the 440 yards in 21.505 seconds.
“I think she has more in the tank,” trainer Marc Jungers said. “Christian hand-rode her most of the way and we look forward to her coming back in the final.”
Other runners that qualified include Tempting Barbie, Running to the Moon, Firstchickonthemoon, Amore for a Reason, Butterfli, High Fling, Moon Spot, Aj Precious Jewel and Macdara.
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Other quarter horses to make the final included Shoeless in the eleventh trial race, Unrelentless and Moes in the twelfth trial race, and Dashing Tres in the eighth trial race.
The Rainbow Derby final is July 20. The trials were postponed twice due to flooding last weekend.
Felix F. Chavez can be reached at fchavez@elpasotimes.com; @Fchavezeptimes on X
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: 10 horses qualify for Rainbow Derby final at Ruidoso Downs Race Track and Casino
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