Gritty Llano Teller Races To All American Derby Victory

RUIDOSO DOWNS, New Mexico (September4, 2011) – The gritty little gelding Llano Teller drew off from Prospect To The Top to score a 9-1 upset win in the Grade 1, $1,316,760 All American Derby on Sunday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.

The 440-yard All American Derby is quarter horse racing’s richest race for three-year-old and older horses and Llano Teller earned $658,380. He also receives an invitation to the Grade 1,$750,000 Champion of Champions in December at Los Alamitos Race Course in Southern California.

The one-half length victory was his second grade 1 win of the summer after winning the $703,000 Ruidoso Derby in June.

Llano Teller rarely makes mistakes and he sprinted to the front in the All American Derby and raced with Propsect To The Top for 400 yards. He maintained his momentum to score his third grade 1victory.

JLS Mr Bigtime finished third, another three quarters of a length back.

Llano Teller raced the 440 yards in:20.867.

“He left real good today,” jockey Ramon Sanchez said. “I was thinking if I had a chance to break, I gotta a chance to be in front at the wire. He broke excellent and tried hard all the time, got a clean race. I'm really happy.”

Sanchez won the All American Gold Cup aboard Noconi two races earlier on the program.

Owned by Wootan Racing with the Reed Land and Cattle Company, Llano Teller has been a game stakes competitor throughout his 16-race career.

“When he left there like that, I thought, 'They won't catch him today’,” said Reed. “Ramon did a magnificent job of riding him. I've flown Ramon in a few times to ride horses and he's unreal on a horse he's never seen. I told him I thought he was on the real deal today.

“This horse has been really, really ready. It's been unreal the way he's trained. I just kept telling myself that he will beat these horses today. It was gratifying to me that he did beat all these horses like he did. I want to thank (jockey) G.R. (Carter, who qualified Llano Teller to the race); he got us to the dance, and Ramon danced with us.”

The gelded son of Teller Cartel scored his first grade 1 win early in his juvenile season when he took last year’s Remington Park Futurity. He went on to qualify for the Rainbow Futurity at Ruidoso Downs and finish fourth in the Texas Classic Futurity at Lone Star Park.

Trainer Heath Reed gave the gelding a six-month rest after his Texas Classic Futurity win in November and he came back in stellar form this summer at Ruidoso Downs. In his first start he won his Ruidoso Derby trial over Dominyun. He stepped up in the Ruidoso Derby to get the win while Dominyun was again second.

Llano Teller won his Rainbow Derby trial, but was bumped at the start of the Rainbow Derby and was never a factor while finishing seventh.

Bred by co-owner Wootan Racing, Llano Teller earned his spot in the All American Derby field after winning his trial over qualifiers Flyin Fish and Motorcity Madman.

Joel Tavarez’s runner-up Prospect To The Top, trained by Ralph Muniz, started his climb to the top level of his division a year ago when he qualified for the All American Futurity. He affirmed his ranking with a win in the Hobbs America Futurity and a third-place finish in the Southwest Juvenile Championship as the odds-on favorite.

Roman Chapa rode Prospect To The Top. He gained the mount after Jacky Martin was seriously injured on Friday afternoon.

“He broke a tad slow, but then heran awesome,” said Chapa. “I’ve never ridden him in a race, but I’ve galloped him a few times for Ralph. Prospect To The Top didn’t do anything wrong. Ralph called me a couple of days ago after Jacky got hurt and asked me to come in.”

JLS Mr Bigtime was second in last year’s All American Futurity and backed it up with his third-place run in the All American Derby. The homebred from John Soileau’s JLS Speedhorse Ranch was fourth in the Rainbow Derby before winning his All American Derby trial by a nose over Prospect To The Top.

“It was a good race. Llano Teller just ran a super race today,” said jockey Jarrod Deschamp. “He made no mistakes. My horse kinda went to rock back a little bit when they kicked (the gates open). But I can't make excuses. I tried.

“Llano Teller ran big today. I don't think anybody would have beat him.”

Cold Cash 123, the 2-1 favorite, experienced a horrid start and was well beaten within the first 50 yards. The gelding finished seventh in his bid for his seventh win at 440 yards in his seventh start at the distance.

Following JLS Mr Bigtime under the wire were One Sweet Jess, Teller No Lies, The Printing Press, Cold Cash 123,Motorcity Madman, DM Streakn Thru Fire and Flyin Fish. videos