KJ Desparado, under jockey Adrian Ramos, rolls to his third Grade 1 win in Sunday's $669,025 Grade-1 Ruidoso Derby at Ruidoso Downs Race Track.

© Jake Rogers / Ruidoso Downs

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—JUNE 11, 2022–KJ Desparado broke sharply and coasted home a winner in the $669,025 Grade-1 Ruidoso Derby Saturday at Ruidoso Downs Race Track.

Last season’s All American Futurity(G1) champion won for the sixth consecutive start for jockey Adrian Ramos, trainer Wes Giles, and owners John and Kathy Lee and Reuben Mares.

The gelding has won eight of 12 career starts and used the $280,990 winner's purse today to boost his lifetime earnings total to $2,390,751. Last season he also won the Grade 1 Texas Classic Futurity at Lone Star Park.

"He seems to be improving even more now as a three-year-old," Ramos said in the winner’s circle. "He was alone in front but I kept him to the task—there were plenty of nice horses behind us."

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime horse," trainer Giles said. "I thought his performance was awesome especially coming back so quick from the trials and the strong headwind the he qualified in. His race today was exceptional."

Owner John Lee said for fans to expect KJ Desparado to return for the Rainbow Derby mid-summer with trials scheduled for July 10. "We’d like to keep him going as long as he’s healthy and tells us he’s ready."

KJ Desparado won by more than two-lengths over Muy Peligrosito who finished second and Kiss The Cartel who finished third. Lethal Avenger, the second betting choice, broke in the air out of the starting gate to finish seventh, ending a five-race win streak.

KJ Desparado paid $3.60, $2.60 and $2.40 in a winning time of :19.344 seconds, a 103 speed index into a 5 mph crosswind for 400-yards.

KJ Desparado is sired by leading sire Apollitical Jess out of the mare Tres Veses by Tres Seis.  

Muy Peligrosito put In a good effort to earn $120,425 for second. Eric Valenzuela trains the son of leading third-crop sire One Fabulous Eagle for owner Super Champions, Inc.

Darling Farms and Jamie Gomez bred the graded stakes winner in Mexico from the Walk Thru Fire mare Peligrosita.  Sergio Becerra, Jr. was aboard last year's Southwest Juvenile Invitational Championship (G2) and All American Juvenile winner. Muy Peligrosito has banked $291,507 in eight career starts.

Kiss The Cartel earned her first graded black type with a third-place finish in the Ruidoso QH Derby(G1).  Trainer Trey Wood named champion jockey Ricky Ramirez to ride the Oklahoma-bred daughter of leading sire Kiss My Hocks from the Corona Cartel mare A Snowy Cartel.

Bred in Oklahoma by Flag Ranch, LLC, Kiss The Cartel races for owners Lonnie Horwood and Kody Horwood. The $66,902 third-place payday increased the filly's lifetime mark to $87,457.

Mperative, Mr Apollo Jess, Double Duty, Lethal Avenger, Tommie Eagle, The Big Favorite and Six Shaker completed the field.

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Racing continues on Sunday at Ruidoso Downs with the running of the $1 million Ruidoso Futurity. First post time is 1 p.m. (MDT).