RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—AUGUST 20, 2010—Trainer Juan Aleman brought Apollitical Jess to Ruidoso Downs to compete in the rich summer derbies and the colt rewarded his trainer as the fastest qualifier to the richest derby in the history of quarter horse racing, the Grade 1, $1,548,076 All American Derby.

The All American Derby winner will earn $774,076 when the finals are held on September 5. The record purse surpasses the previous derby record purse of $1,319,677 set in the 1983 All American Derby.

Apollitical Jess earned a hard-fought win over world-record holder Double Down Special in :20.878 for 440 yards, the quickest time from seven trials on Friday afternoon.

Double Down Special raced to the second-fastest time of :20.957.

Double Down Special had a troubled start and recovered under jockey Jacky Martin to mount a charge. Apollitical Jess dug in and repelled that challenge to win by one-half length under jockey Eduardo Nicasio.

“I liked drawing next to (Double Down Special). It gave him something to run with,” said Aleman.

Owned by Rancho el Cabresto, Apollitical Jess matured at the end of his 2-year-old season when he finished second in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Two Million at Los Alamitos Race Course in Southern California . He was then rested and Aleman brought him to Ruidoso Downs this summer.

“I had him ready for the Rainbow ( Derby in July), but he had trouble in his trial and still ran :21.37 (for 440 yards). That was promising,” Aleman said. “This was our last shot.”

Apollitical Jess built upon that effort and tuned up for the All American Derby trials with a very fast 350-yard allowance win in a near-track-record :17.032.

The Mr Jess Perry-sired Apollitical Jess is a strapping colt who reminds Aleman of his dam, champion Apollitical Time, a mare Aleman trained to back-to-back championship titles. She earned $904,242, won four Grade 1 races and defeated males in the Los Alamitos Championship and the Los Alamitos Super Derby.

“He’s got his mama’s heart. They even have the same color and the same socks (white feet). He’s just bigger,” Aleman said.

Vanessa Bartoo’s Double Down Special, the nation’s highest-ranked 3-year-old quarter horse, was sent off as the 7-10 trial favorite after four-straight wins. The John Stinebaugh-trained gelding by The Down Side set a 400-yard world record (:18.613) while winning the West Texas Derby at Sunland Park and then won the Grade 1, $569,000 Ruidoso Derby by a neck in his start before the All American Derby trials

Stinebaugh passed on the Rainbow Derby and pointed the son of The Down Side to the All American Derby. He was a $40,000 supplemental nominee to enter the All American Derby trials.

The third-place horse in that trial, Mr Truly Uno, recorded the third-fastest qualifying time of :21.138 while making just his fourth career start.

Owned by Jacque Tanton and trained by Sleepy Gilbreath, Mr Truly Uno won a 400-yard maiden race at Ruidoso Downs in his previous start. The gelding is by Feature Mr Jess.

While champion and All American Futurity winner Runnning Brook Gal did not qualify after finishing fifth in her trial, the second and third-place finishers in last year’s All American Futurity will compete in the All American Derby.

All American Futurity runner-up Shesa First Ratify turned in her best 2010 performance when she finished a close second in her trial behind Callan Rocks. Callan Rocks, a filly by Corona Cartel, was timed in :21.142 while Shesa First Ratify, by First Down Dash, clocked in :21.173.

All American Futurity third-place finisher First Corona Call was the fourth-place finisher in Apollitical Jess’ trial with a :21.187 time. The Southern Corona gelding came into the trials off a fourth-place finish against New Mexico-bred older horses in the Zia Handicap.

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