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A Pollitical Candy V, KJ Desparado Headline Sunday's All American Derby Trials at Ruidoso Downs
Rainbow QH Derby(G1) winner A Pollitical Candy V ais among the 71 3-year-olds entered in Sunday's 440-yard All American Derby (G1) trials at Ruidoso Downs.

© Bailey Ivey / Ruidoso Downs
A Pollitical Candy V, KJ Desparado Headline Sunday's All American Derby Trials at Ruidoso Downs

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM–AUGUST 15, 2022–
A Pollitical Candy V and KJ Desparado are two of the 71 3-year-olds entered in Sunday's 440-yard All American Derby (G1) trials at Ruidoso Downs.

The 10 fastest qualifiers from Sunday's eight 440-yard heats will meet in the $700,000-est. All American Derby final on September 4.

A Pollitical Candy V has won two stakes during the current Ruidoso meet, and he is coming off of a neck victory in the 440-yard, $645,000 Rainbow Derby on July 23. Santos Carrizales Jr. trains the gelded son of world champion Apollitical Jess for owner Valeriano Racing Stables LLC.

A Pollitical Candy V drew post 9 and will be ridden by Juan Pulido in the fourth trial.

KJ Desparado ran second to A Pollitical Candy V in the Rainbow Derby. However, the Apollitical Jess gelding began his Ruidoso Downs summer campaign with a three-race win streak that included a clear 2 1/4-length victory in the 400-yard, $850,000 Ruidoso Derby (G1) on June 11.

KJ Desparado has won nine of 14 races -- including seven of 10 at Ruidoso and three of four at the 440-yard distance -- and he has earned $2,511,710. Wes Giles trains the gelding for owners John and Kathy Lee and Ruben Mares.

KJ Desparado drew post 3 and will be ridden by Adrian Ramos in the first heat.

Other prominent 3-year-olds entered in Sunday's trials include Jess Savin Candy and Bomb Cyclone. Raced exclusively at Ruidoso Downs by owner Dutch Masters III, Jess Savin Candy has earned $1,051,160 from eight starts, and his five wins include last year's 350-yard, $1-million Ruidoso Futurity (G1) and 400-yard, $1-million Rainbow Futurity (G1), the first two legs of Ruidoso's All American Futurity Triple Crown.

Jess Savin Candy drew post 2 and will be ridden by Francisco Calderon for trainer John Stinebaugh in the third trial.

Bomb Cyclone will be making his sophomore season debut in the seventh heat. Trained by Chris O'Dell for owner Rosenthal Ranch LLC, the Favorite Cartel gelding and $215,000 purchase at the 2020 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale ended his 2-year-old season with a two-length victory in California's richest horse race, the December 12, $2.037-million Los Alamitos Two-Million Futurity (G1) at Los Alamitos Racecourse.

Bomb Cyclone drew post 8 and will be ridden by Eduardo Nicasio.

All Ruidoso Downs races can be seen at Q-Racing Video.com.