Photo by Gay Harris
RUIDOSO DOWNS, New Mexico- September 3, 2017 — Darling Farms’ Hold Air Hostage (*2015 Winter Mixed Sale Graduate) showed why he is the number-one-ranked older quarter horse in the nation with a total domination of his rivals in the Grade 1, $1,365,908 All American Derby on Sunday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.
The win with Hold Air Hostage gave trainer James Padgett II and jockey Rodrigo Sigala Vallejo their second Grade I wins of the afternoon. Two races earlier on the program, Padgett and Vallejo combined to win the Grade 1, $200,000 All American Gold with Jessies First Down.
Hold Air Hostage scrambled from the starting gate and within several strides the 440-yard sprint was, essentially, over. He just powered away from the field to win by an easy two-and-one-quarter lengths in :21.231.
“I don’t want to sound too confident or like I’m bragging, but as soon as he broke in front, it was over,” said Padgett. “I mean, the horse is a monster. He’s the fastest horse I’ve ever seen. Once he left like that, all that was left was the screaming.”
Johnny Trotter’s One Sweet Racy (*2015 Quarter Horse Yearling Sale Graduate) finished second by a neck over Duponte (*2016 Heritage Place Futurity [G1] Winner), owned by breeder Bobby Cox with Homero and Kristen Paredes.
Hold Air Hostage raced to his fifth consecutive victory and he has two Grade 1 wins during this winning streak. He moved to the number-one position after his one-and-three-quarter-length victory in the Grade 1, $1,150,000 Rainbow Derby on July 22. He started the winning streak by taking the Grade 2, $297,000 Heritage Place Derby on June 3.
“We’re going to wait until tomorrow, at least, before we decide what to do next with the horse,” said Padgett. “I’d like to take him to the Champion Of Champions (in December at Los Alamitos) but we’ll have to see.
“This is special. I’ve had a lot of people along that way that put me in this position. My mentor and old boss, Judd Kearl, helped me along the way and put me in the position where we could do our job and perform.”
The Trey Wood-trained One Sweet Racy gained a valuable Grade 1 stakes placing that enhances her status when she becomes a broodmare. The well-bred daughter of One Sweet Jess raced in the Rainbow Juvenile last year. Raul Ramirez Jr. rode One Sweet Racy.
Third-place finisher Duponte has been a force in the Grade 1 ranks since his two-year-old season. Last year, he won the Grade 1, $1-million Heritage Place Futurity. Also from the Padgett barn, Duponte was ridden by Jose Amador Alvarez.