HEARTSWIDEOPEN BY FEATURE MR JESS SHOOTS FOR EARNINGS TITLE IN ALL AMERICAN DERBY AT RUIDOSO DOWNS
RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—AUGUST 15, 2008— Noconi won his maiden with a fastest qualifying trial victory, but champion Heartswideopen by JEH Stallion Station's FEATURE MR JESS, will be the prohibitive favorite to become quarter horse racing’s all-time leading money earner in the Grade 1, $1,024,682 All American Derby after the five trial were run on Friday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.
The 440-yard All American Derby will be the richest race on a four stakes race program at Ruidoso Downs on August 31.
Javier and Manny Rodriguez’s Heartswideopen, winner of nine straight races, romped to a three-quarter length trial win in: 21.053 to have the secondfastest qualifying time.
Trained by Carl Draper, Heartswideopen would surpass world champion Refrigerator as the sport’s all-time leading money earner if she takes the $512,341 first place check in the All American Derby, quarter horse racing’s richest derby in 2008. The daughter of FEATURE MR JESS will have career earnings of $2,227,120 to Refrigerator’s $2,126,309.
Heartswideopen would also be the all-time leading money earner on her Ruidoso Downs’ earnings of $2,199,250.
The powerful filly will also be trying to become the second horse to win the All American Futurity and return to Ruidoso Downs the following summer sweep the Ruidoso, Rainbow and All American derbies. The Draper trained DM Shicago won the 2004 All American Futurity and won the derby triple crown in 2005 to be named the 2005 world champion.
“Now with the All American Derby her next start the pressure is bigger,” said Draper. “It was the same with Shicago. But, she has already established her value as a broodmare.” DM Shicago is a gelding with no breeding value.
Heartswideopen raced to her 11th win from 12 starts with the dominating trial score.
“She broke well and I just let her run,” said winning jockey Bonifacio Perez. “If I would have gotten after her, she would have run faster.”
Heartswideopen was bred in Texas by Kirk M. Goodfellow and is out of the Champion and Champion producing daughter of Dash For Cash, Dashing Phoebe.
For the complete list of finalist, times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys click here.
