RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—AUGUST 23, 2015—The consistent Grade 1 qualifier Apollitical Blood added a fifth Grade 1 race to his resume when he scored the fastest-qualifying time to the Grade 1, $2,378,383 All American Derby on Sunday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.

The three-year-olds with the 10-fastest times from the 12 440-yard All American Derby trials qualified for the All American Derby on September 6. The next 10-fastest horses have priority to run in the $100,000 First Down Dash on the same day.

The All American Derby has the largest purse of any derby in quarter horse racing. By comparison, the Kentucky Derby for thoroughbreds has a $2 million purse.

Rancho El Cabresto, Inc.’s Apollitical Blood made a statement in the seventh trial when he extended his stride and pulled out to a two-and-one-quarter length win in :21.352.

In his only other appearance at Ruidoso Downs this summer he was fourth in his Rainbow Derby trial.

“He drew the outside in his Rainbow trial and qualified for the ($100,000) Corona Cartel,” trainer Juan Aleman said. “We decided to pass (on the Corona Cartel) and point at this race.

“He’s a colt and he’s a handful, but when he gets his mind on running he can really run.”

The Apollitical Jess son displayed his talent last year when he qualified for four Grade 1 futurities. He raced in the $985,000 Ed Burke Million, $2.6 million All American Futurity, the $1,031,000 Golden State Million and the $2,079,000 Los Alamitos Two Million.

Conda Maze and Tyler Graham’s champion Kiss My Hocks lived up to high expectations with a cruising one-length win in the third trial as the 1-9 favorite. He has the fourth-fastest qualifying time of :21.547.

“I just wanted him to get away (from the gate) on his feet, let him relax and then I asked him to run,” jockey G.R. Carter Jr. said.

“He is such a professional and so much fun.”

The Tempting Dash son scored his ninth win from 11 starts and has earned $1.1 million. He was the 2014 champion two-year-old and champion two-year-old colt.

Last year, Kiss My Hocks won the Grade 2, $564,000 Sam Houston Futurity and the Grade 1, $700,000 Ruidoso Futurity. He was second by a neck in the Grade 1, $900,000 Rainbow Futurity.

Trainer Toby Keeton pointed Kiss My Hocks at the three Grade 1 derbies at Ruidoso Downs this summer. After a throw-out performance in his Ruidoso Derby trial, he won the Grade 1, $1,067,000 Rainbow Derby by one-half length in his start before the All American Derby trials.

Trainer Victor Rodriguez-Flores saddled second-fastest qualifier Mad About The Moon and fourth-fastest qualifier Dynazip. Mad About The Moon was timed in :21.455 and Dynazip was clocked in :21.469.

David Valdez’s Mad About The Moon was second in last year’s Grade 1, $2.6 million All American Futurity, won the $290,000 New Mexico Classic Futurity and second in the Grade 1, $200,000 Southwest Juvenile. The gelding is by leading sire First Moonflash.

Martin Ibarra’s FDD Dynasty colt Dynazip won the fourth trial at 11-1 odds. His only other win came in a maiden race.

“We just have a good team, good workers and good horses,” said Rodriguez-Flores.

Jim Helzer and Dick Harrison’s Politicaly Correct, a $50,000 supplemental nominee, raced to the third-fastest time of :21.464 in the final trial. The Apollitical Jess gelding won four-consecutive races, including the $268,000 Oklahoma Derby, before finishing second by a neck in the $370,000 Heritage Place Derby at Remington Park as the 6-5 favorite.

“He wasn’t in any races until the Dash For Cash Derby and the Texas Classic Derby, so we elected to come out,” Helzer, who also trains the gelding, said. “We lost six days of training because of the rain, so he will be faster in the finals.”

Helzer is a former American Quarter Horse Association president and owned All American Futurity winner and world champion Refrigerator. “I’m elated. I’m having the fondest dream of my life, having a horse in the All American Derby.” Helzer said.

For the complete list of All American Derby finalists, times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys CLICK HERE.

For a list of preferred invites to the $100,000 First Down Dash Stakes CLICK HERE.

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