Celtic Classic Prevails Over 550 Yards In Brigand Allowance at Ruidoso Downs

RUIDOSO DOWNS, New Mexico (August 20, 2011) – Romualdo Tarango’s Celtic Classic took to a sloppy track and the 550-yard distance to prevail over Durango Durango in the $20,000 Brigand on Saturday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.

Ricky Ramirez rode Celtic Classic to the neck win in :26.896 for the 550 yards.

Regal Colors finished another one-half length back for third in the nine-horse field.

The Jose Gonzalez-trained Celtic Classic stretched out to the 550-yard distance after racing to top-two finishes in four of his previous six starts this year. The five-year-old gelding won a conditioned allowance race and his West Texas Maturity trial, each at 400 yards. He was second in a 440-yard allowance race at SunRay Park two starts ago.

Ernie and Brenda Wood’s homebred Durango Durango, the 7-2 favorite in the well-matched field, came back off a more than three-month layoff in the Brigand. The five-year-old gelding won his final start before the layoff when he took a $10,000-claiming race over 550 yards at Remington Park.