© Coady Photography
HOBBS, NM—OCTOBER 7, 2018—Believe Me Irene (Heritage Place 2016 Yearling Sale Graduate), a daughter of leading sire Valiant Hero, got up late to defeat Fooze Jr by a neck in the $219,703 Hobbs America Derby(G3) Sunday afternoon at Zia Park. Mister Moody Blue finished another neck back in the blanket finish to take third.
Under veteran jockey Esgar Ramirez, Believe Me Irene completed the 440 yards in :21.765 seconds, equaling a 95 speed index into a 21 mph headwind. It was the third win this season for the brown filly.
Trainer Jose Muela conditions the Arizona-bred 3-year-old for owner Diamond Racing Stables. Bred by H & Ranch, Inc., from the Mr Jess Perry mare Financial Leverage, Believe Me Irene has compiled an (11) 3-5-2 record and today’s Hobbs winners’ purse of $105,457 pushed her career mark to $261,157.
Believe Me Irene was a finalist in the Grade 1 All American Futurity and finished second in the Grade 1 Southwest Juvenile Championship Stakes and Sunland Park Juvenile Championship at 2.
Prior to the Hobbs America Derby trials in September was third in the First Down Dash Derby at Ruidoso Downs after winning a trial for the All American Derby.
California-bred Fooze Jr put in a game effort under jockey Raul Herrera to earn $35,152 for second. A homebred racing for La Feliz Montana Ranch LLC, the Foose gelding is trained by Joel Valeriano, Jr.
Out of the Grade 1 Ruidoso Futurity winning Mr Jess Perry mare, Jess Significant, the brown gelding is still a maiden from 13 career starts. He has finished in the money nine times to bank $51,206.
The royally-bred Mister Moody Blue showed early speed but couldn’t hold off the late chargers, earning $18,125 for his third-place effort. Wesley T. Giles conditions the One Famous Eagle half-brother to world champion Blues Girl Too for owners Butch and Stephanie Webb.
Lucky Seven Ranch bred the sorrel colt in Oklahoma from the Sixarun mare Run The Dash. Third in the Corona Cartel Stakes at Ruidoso in July, Mister Moody Blues also qualified for the Mr Jess Perry Derby. He has earned $37,952.
Ruidoso Derby(G1) winner Jess Move You finished 4th after rearing at the start. Fastest qualifier Mr Perry Strong was fifth followed by Medessy, Invisible Cartel, Fdd Can Jazz, Heza Streakin Legacy and Legacy Eagle.