Ruidoso Downs Race Track

Javier Rodriguez, owner of Ruidoso Derby champion FDD Dreams, would like to see another racehorse step up and try to hook his front-running gelding Sunday afternoon.

“I don’t think we’ve seen his best yet,” Javier said as he awaited FDD Dreams’ appearance in this weekend’s $700,000 Rainbow Derby trials at Ruidoso Downs Race Track.

“I’ve been watching his race videos and it seems like when he gets out in front he’s looking around for another horse to challenge him,” Javier said. “He needs to show us what he’s capable of doing and I believe it’s more than what we’ve seen thus far.”

FDD Dreams will be ridden by Luis Martinez and will start from the No. 9 post as the 2-1 morning line favorite in Sunday’s sixth race. The 3-year-old quarter horses recording the 10 fastest times in the 440-yard trials will advance to the Rainbow Derby final on Saturday, July 12.

FDD Dreams is currently on a four-race win streak that includes two major stakes events – the Texas Classic at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas, on Nov. 16 and the June 7 Ruidoso Derby. The gelding has seven career wins and earnings exceeding $1.2 million.

“He’s such a smart horse,” said trainer Xavier Rodriguez. “He’s always interested in what’s next. He’s very unique — for instance we’ll catch him dancing in his stall and fans have watched that online. He’s a happy horse that likes what he does.”

Trials also will be held on Sunday for the $550,000 Rainbow Oaks for three-year-old fillies at 440-yards. The final of the Oaks will also be run on July 12.

Shaken Goin On and jockey Justine Klaiber will start from post 6 in the second race. The 2-1 morning line favorite is trained by Rodolfo Valles and owned by James Sills and Abel Flores, who paid a $40,000 supplemental fee to enter the Oaks trials.

Shaken Goin On won the $430,000 Los Alamitos Oaks on March 22 in California and has seven career wins with earnings of $312,000.

There will be six Derby and five Oaks trial races on Sunday with first post at 1 p.m.